Spirited Away: The Fight for Love
by Heartz4Jesus
Summary: Chihiro has been waiting for Haku for 7 years, and just when she's about to give up waiting for him, he shows up, but having to leave soon after to defeat Yubaba and her plan to overthrow the human world and disconnect the 2 worlds forever. Chihiro insists on leaving with him, but things don't go smoothly. Will there be a happy ever after ending, or will they perish together?
1. Prologue: Missing You

Spirited Away: Prologue

A/N (first A/N ever!): Hi guys! This is the release of my first chapter (aka prologue)! Hope you enjoy it and please leave your reviews with _constructive criticism_ because I want to improve my writing skills and come up with better stories to share! Thanks again and I shall leave you to the reading! Enjoy~

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A/N (this is the recent one after looking back at the story): Okay, so I think I'm gonna give you guys a head's up on this story first. This is my first fan fiction and my writing is not very polished in this one, clearly (you'll see if you read the other chapters). (: But thanks for clicking on this story! Hehe God bless you! I hope you enjoy this fanfic if you decide to read it yeah! ;)

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I was dead tired, and went out as a light as soon as my head touched my warm, fluffy pillow. I had had a long day. _At long last my mid-terms are over! _All my exhaustion finally came out, and the rest of the day was spent sleeping on my warm, comfy bed.

"_Whoosh, whoosh~"_ I stirred.

"_Whoooooshhh~~~"_ I turned in my bed. _"Whoosh… whoooooshhh~"_

My eyes slowly, unwillingly opened and I looked at the alarm clock. 3am in the morning. _"Whoosh~" _There it came again.

I got out of bed, and cocked my head in the direction of the source of that sound. I randomly took my textbook that was lying on my study desk for protection and walked slowly to the balcony. There, I warily looked around.

Hmm, nothing. Maybe I was just hallucinating.

Then, I saw a white streak moving about in the sky. I looked up, and to my delight, I saw that same great dragon with beautiful sea green fur, and the moonlight reflected off his scales, making it glimmer in the moonlight.

My dragon was absolutely breathtaking. He was coming closer and closer, and when he was near the balcony, I sensed that Haku was beckoning to me to jump onto his back. I hesitated, but the sense of longing to fly with Haku was so overwhelming. I jumped and he caught me on his back.

In a shower of sparkles, he was in human form, floating in the air and holding me in a princess-like fashion.

"Haku… It's really you!" I buried my face in his chest, breathing in his scent. He kissed me gently on the forehead.

"Of course, I would never break my promise to you, love. You've grown to be so beautiful, Chihiro." I blushed at the compliment and looked up at him. We gazed into each other's eyes.

Haku leaned in, and so did I. I closed my eyes, about to feel his lips on mine, but just when our lips were about to touch, a strong force pulled me out of his grasp.

"Chihiro!" Haku's voice rang in the silent night. I was falling, and Haku seemed to be unable to get to me. As the ground was nearing, I took in my last sight of Haku, and a tear fell silently down my cold cheek…

"Thud!" I awoke to find myself lying on the floor. The clock showed 11pm. _So it was a dream…_ I wiped away the stray tear on my cheek, missing Haku more than ever. _It's been 7 years already… When will Haku be coming back..? I miss him so much… _

I willed myself not to cry, though my tears ran stubbornly down my cheek. Climbing back onto my bed, I wept. _I doubt he has feelings for me like I do for him… Maybe he's already forgotten about me and his promise and isn't going to come back..._

_Is it time to finally let go? _I knew it was an impossible feat for me, especially since tomorrow is the day that I met Haku in the spirit world 7 years ago…


	2. Reunion

Spirited Away: Reunion

[Just some background information on Chihiro!]

Chihiro is now 17 years old, and she's become a beautiful girl, with long flowing brown hair that she always ties up in a ponytail or a side ponytail (may be French braided, up to you to visualize!). She is incredibly popular with many friends, though she only trusts Sakura the most to confide in. Many guys have a crush on her, some since middle school till now. However, Chihiro repeatedly rejects them because her heart only belongs with Haku, though she's convinced that Haku does not feel the same way about her.

Now on with the reading! Hope you enjoy it!

P.S. The slanted words are Chihiro's thoughts if you didn't know

I got up from bed and dressed, wearing the purple hair band as usual, my only token that would forever remind me of Haku's existence and love. I went downstairs for breakfast, and after I ate, I said goodbye and headed to school.

In class, I could not pay attention; my mind just kept on drifting to the spirit world, Lin, Zeniba, Kamaji, and Haku… The day seemed so much slower compared to other days. Sakura, my best friend, apparently noticed my sorrowful mood, because she prodded me during break, "So do you want to talk about it?" She asked with genuine concern. I didn't reply, knowing Sakura already knew.

"That Kohaku boy isn't it? Chihiro, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

I finally could not hold it in any longer. I burst into tears, and told Sakura everything. About the dream, my mixed feelings of sadness, anger, disappointment and hopefulness. Sakura let me sob in her uniform, and when I finally ran out of tears, Sakura patted my head soothingly.

"Well, since you've already waited so long, why not wait just a little longer? Just be a little more patient and trust him."

_Trust him._ These words managed to calm the raging tempest in my heart, and I began to feel a little better. Seeing the wet mess I'd made on Sakura's uniform, I blushed and lowered my head. "Sorry about your uniform…" Sakura just giggled and her warm smile said, _'That's what I'm here for!'_

During lesson though, my mind unknowingly drifted off yet again to Haku, my mighty dragon. I thought about his face, his eyes that sparkled beautifully and soon, my vision blurred and a stray tear found its way onto my cheek. I hurriedly wiped it off, hoping no one had seen. After school, I packed up and left the classroom immediately.

Outside the school gates, I was still thinking about Haku, when I absent-mindedly bumped into a guy. He stumbled over and fell, and I frantically offered him my hand to help him get up.

"Sorry! I was distracted…" My voice faded away as I got my first look of him.

He had the same deep emerald green eyes that Haku had, and I could somehow feel Haku's presence which made my pulse quicken.

My eyes widened, and as we stood up, I took in his features: Forest green hair stylishly cut, light skin tone and deep emerald green eyes that seemed to be able to read my mind.

_Haku…? Don't be silly! He couldn't be here! That's insane! He should be in the spirit world right now! And if it really was him, he would have shown some sign of recognition of me! _

The boy politely bowed, and walked off. I could not take my eyes off him. He was so handsome, and he just reminded me too much about Haku.

As I walked to a nearby park, I strolled into a forest, reminding me of Haku as I basked in the beauty of nature. Just then, I was knocked (hard) onto to a nearby tree. Apparently I was now pinned onto a tree, but something was holding me there. I looked up and saw Igatsuki Kirito pinning me onto a tree, with a sly smile on his face.

_Arrgh! _Igatsuki Kirito was the most obnoxious guy in class. He was an arrogant, rich kid who could charm every girl in the class but me. That made me a pretty interesting target for him, apparently. He was determined to get my heart to prove (for some pointless and stupid reason) that he was the most charming guy in school.

"Why princess, wandering alone into the woods? That's pretty dangerous." I scowled at him. "You were following me?! Get away from me and let me go you idiot." With mock fear, Kirito squeezed my hands harder.

I winced at the pain. "Then why were you crying today in class? You know, I'm pretty good at consoling girls…" He then leaned in and tried to kiss me. I was trying as hard as I could to struggle out of his grasp, but was defenseless.

Suddenly, a strong force knocked Kirito off me and onto the ground. I was in shock, wondering why Kirito was on the ground. I noticed his red cheek, and then I saw the mysterious boy from before whom I had bumped into just now. His eyes were a dull green though.

_He's angry._

He then grabbed my hand. It seemed like sparks ran through my hand when he touched it. I was blushing despite myself.

_Why am I so nervous around him? He's not Haku!_ "Run!" he commanded. He ran at such god-like speed, I almost tripped, when I realized he was bringing me further into the forest.

The boy stopped in the middle of the forest where there was lush green and thick greenery covering them from sight. I was still panting very hard, trying to catch my breath. My throat felt like it was scorched; I had never sprinted at such speed before. The boy held me up and when I looked into his eyes, he grinned at me.

"Remember me?" My heart melted immediately at the sound of his voice. "Haku? Is it really you?" I broke into tears for the thousandth time. He moved forward gracefully and embraced me. "Yes, after all, I have to keep my promises." He stroked my hair, making me feel very warm. "You've grown to become so beautiful, Chihiro."

I blushed at his compliment. "I've missed you…" Haku held my face and wiped my tears. I gazed into his eyes, wanting to take in every detail of his face now and blushed uncontrollably. He was so handsome! He looked at me with a sad smile, then let go of me and motioned for me to get on his back.

I could sense that I was still blushing, but was not hesitant on getting on; I felt secure in his presence. I hopped onto a sleek body of scales, glistening in the sunlight and I stroked his ever soft sea green fur. I held onto his horns and pressed my cheeks on his head, feeling the warmth of my dragon. He finally flew up into the air, the wind whipping against my cheeks.

This was the moment that I had been longing for; to be finally reunited with my dragon, my love.


	3. Secrets?

Spirited Away: Secrets?

It all felt so surreal, like a dream. I lay on my bed, giggling and smiling whenever I thought about Haku. Anybody who saw me like that would have thought I was a lunatic, but I couldn't care less.

Flying with my dragon, feeling the wind whipping my hair and on my cheek, it was like heaven to be with Haku again. I did not sleep a wink that night, thinking about the recent events that had happened…

[Flashback]

'_Wheee ~ this is too much fun!'_ I thought gleefully as Haku flew over the rivers and lakes. I was still touching Haku's fur and his scales, wanting to memorize every detail of him. I was still afraid that this was all a dream and that Haku would just slip through my fingertips again.

Haku seemed to sense my insecurity, for he growled and blew fire into the air, leaving me in awe. I could feel the gentle heat radiating from the fire and it soon dissipated into the air.

Time seemed to fly too fast though; soon, Haku was going back to the forest. I was stubborn enough not to get down.

"I want to spend more time with Haku!" I willfully pouted. "Woah!" I yelped. Haku had flown into the air again, and this time, he changed into human form, grabbing me in a princess-like fashion and then floating down again. Haku chuckled and pinched my nose lightly.

"You cheeky little girl!"

After putting me down though, I flung myself at him and hugged him tightly.

"C'mon Chihiro, you need to go home. Let go now."

"No! I'm not going to let you go ever again! I don't want to be left alone again without you Haku!" I cried. Haku returned my hug, holding me close to him. "Don't be silly, I won't leave you again…" I looked up to see his distant look.

"What's wrong, Haku?"

"Oh, it's nothing…" _Haku is so distracted. Is he in any trouble? _

"Haku, please tell me. I want to be there for you just like you've always been there for me." Haku was in deep thought, and after a while, he seemed to relent.

"Okay, I'll tell you, but only tomorrow. I'll walk you home, alright?" I could already tell that there was no room for argument since Haku had already made up his mind.

"By the way, why did you act like you didn't recognize me when I bumped into you just now?"

"Well, it would have been inappropriate if I hugged you there and then wouldn't it?"

I nodded in agreement. _He is indeed a wise dragon._ I could only sigh and obey him. He held my hand in his, leading me out of the forest. I blushed again upon contact with Haku. _When will I ever stop blushing?!_

[End of flashback]

I couldn't stop thinking about what Haku could be so distracted about. _Did he need help in the spirit world? Did he need my help? Was he in some kind of danger? What was going on?!_ Oh well, at least I could see him tomorrow after school.

The next morning, I rushed out of the house to reach school early, in hope that I would maybe catch a glimpse of Haku outside the school gates before school. I waited outside for him till I had to go before the bell rang. _Well, he did say after school… _

Lessons seemed to pass too slowly, and I was daydreaming about Haku throughout the entire day. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, school finally ended. In a flash, I was the first one out of the classroom, smiling like an idiot, excited to see Haku again.

When I saw Haku standing outside the gate leaning on a tree, I jumped for joy (literally). He was in his hakama as usual, but he was still as handsome as ever.

I wanted to surprise Haku for fun, so I went to the back gate and crept through the trees and after about 10 minutes, I was standing a few meters away from where Haku was standing.

_I swear I was like the 10-year-old kid back then all over again._

Just when I was going to jump on him, Haku turned around, knowing I was there, and held me before I could fall from shock. He grinned at me, but I could tell from looking in his eyes, that he was still distracted.

I grabbed Haku's hand and we walked into the same forest yesterday in silence. I could feel my palms getting sweaty because I was actually quite nervous about what he would tell me, and because I was holding his hand.

Deep down, I could sense that Haku was in some kind of trouble.

Once we were in the forest out of sight and earshot, I let go. "Alright Haku, shoot. Please tell me what's going on!"

Haku's face was very grave, and when he decided I was ready, he took a deep breath and began in a serious tone.

H_ere we go._


	4. Back to the Spirit World

Spirited Away: The Spirit World

Here we were, standing in the middle of a forest. The cold breeze brushed against my face, threatening to freeze me and my heart. I took deep breaths, and tried in vain to calm myself and listen to Haku.

'_Trust him.'_ These words, yet again, managed to soothe me a little.

When he decided I was ready, Haku took a deep breath and began in a grave, serious tone.

"Chihiro, listen… Yubaba recently came up with her own spell and cast it on the demons and guardian warriors of the spirit world to do her bidding. She plans to overthrow the human world and close the portals between the human world and the spirit world."

"…W-why…?"

"Yubaba holds many grudges against humans. In the past, the spirit world and human world were connected through different portals, where humans and spirits lived together in harmony. However, soon greed tempted a group of humans, who wanted to extort more money from Yubaba, then, of the wealthiest spirits in the world. They kidnapped her first baby, and demanded ransom. She would not give in, threatening them to return her baby or she would kill them with her magic. They did not heed her warning, and hence, they killed her baby because they did not get the money. Yubaba was furious when she found out and killed them, but her vengeance did not end there. She swore hatred against humankind and vowed to have revenge someday. That's why she'd been working for years to come up with this spell, and now, she's finally about to take revenge."

"B-but, doesn't that mean that everyone I love will die, and I'll be separated from you?" By now, I was trembling, and Haku wrapped his arms around me to hold me up.

"Don't worry. I won't let Yubaba hurt you or your loved ones. I'm determined to get rid of Yubaba to break the spell."

_But what help could I be to him?_ "Then the reason you came back is..?" I asked.

Haku remained silent.

Then it finally dawned on me. "Y-you… don't have the confidence to defeat Yubaba, so you came back… to see me for the… last time…" I was giddy, and I lost my balance, falling into Haku's chest.

"Chihi-" Haku grabbed me and I interrupted with angry tears flowing down my cheeks.

"You could have come back so much earlier, but you left me waiting for 7 years!" I started to hit Haku and tried to struggle out of his grasp. Haku would not budge, and he hugged me tightly. Annoyingly, I was crying again.

"Chihiro, I couldn't come back because Yubaba threatened to hurt you if I dared to leave the bathhouse into the human world. She was convinced that you were dangerous and was doing me harm. Chihiro, hush, don't cry, please."

Haku wiped my tears and stroked my hair to reassure me. "I came back this time without her noticing, and I must go back soon. But I'll find a way to stop her. I promise you, Chihiro. I'll come back for you soon."

However, I wasn't going to let him off so lightly. _How could I bear to be separated from my dragon again and be possibly separated forever? _

"No. If you go, then I'm going too." Just as Haku was going to open his mouth to rebut me, I continued, "This doesn't just concern you, Haku."

_If I have to be separated from you again, which could be forever, I'd choose to die with you rather than having to suffer for years again without you._

"I'm not going to leave everyone, Kamaji, Lin, everybody! Especially you…" I was determined to stay with Haku no matter what.

"No, it's too dangerous, Chihiro. I won't risk getting you in danger."

"Haku, I made it in the spirit world the last time, so what makes you think I can't survive this time? Trust me."

Haku finally (and reluctantly) relented. He agreed, but on one condition. That I never leave his side and stay safe. I promised him, and Haku then walked me home. He took his leave back to the spirit world, promising to meet me tomorrow after school.

At home during dinner, I told my parents that I would be having a sleepover at Sakura's house for 5 days. Since I was already 17, they did not have any objections, especially since they knew Sakura well. (She was practically like their goddaughter.)

That night, I phoned Sakura and told her all the details, only telling her that I was going to "visit" the spirit world for a while. She was squealing for joy for me when she heard that Haku had come back. She agreed to cover up for me. "Good luck with Haku!" she said playfully.

Just before I drifted off to sleep, I dreamt about Haku and me, flying to the ends of the earth, being together for eternity…

The next morning, after endless lectures from the teachers, I rushed out to the school gate, wanting to save time. Haku was there, wearing his hakama. _He must have just arrived too,_ I thought. He nodded at me, and both of us walked briskly to the forest. As we walked, I could feel the anxiety building up in my chest, and I felt as if the air was being stolen from my lungs.

"Chihiro, breathe." Haku said gently. That was when I realized I had been holding my breath. _Stupid Chihiro!_

Once we reached the forest, Haku warned me one last time, hoping that I would change my mind. Needless to say, I was firm in my decision. "I'm ready, Haku." I said firmly. He nodded, and then changed into his dragon form. I climbed onto his back, holding on to his horns firmly.

He flew up into the air, and his movements were so graceful and fluid. _He's so beautiful…_ I touched his scales, and his soft fur, which gave me a sense of security. Soon enough, we were nearing the Kohaku River.

The crystal clear water sparkled in the sunlight, and as we were nearing it, Haku blew some misty air from his mouth, and a portal opened in the river. I let out a gasp, not out of fear but out of curiosity.

Finally, we entered the spirit world, the world where I had so many happy memories, built valuable friendships. However, upon my first sight of the spirit world, I already had a nagging feeling that something bad was going to or had already happened to my dear friends. Disaster was clearly imminent.

Just when I was deep in thought, I heard a deep growl from Haku. "What's wrong, Haku?" I asked. I followed Haku's glare and looked up, and fear immediately silently crept into my heart.

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So how's the story so far? :D Feel free to leave comments, _**(PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS)**_ and if you want to say the plot sucks, please provide _**VALID**_ reasons and ways I can improve! (: Thanks for reading so far and I'm still working on the next chapter so look forward to it! Thanks! :D


	5. Danger Arises

Spirited Away: Danger Arises

Hi! Sorry I've been taking while to complete this which involved several late nights because I've been pretty busy. I hope you like this cuz' I put in a lot of effort into this! Hehe (: Enjoy!

This was the moment I had dreamed of for years: Going back into the spirit world, reuniting with my friends... and Haku.

But, who would have guessed that the spirit world is in chaos now, and now both Haku and I are in grave danger. This mission was definitely more dangerous than I had initially thought it to be.

Going into the portal that connected the spirit world and the human world was something I had been longing for for 7 years. However, I didn't expect Yubaba's influence over the spirit world to be so great.

The sky was a deep crimson, as if blood had been smeared over it. It was deserted almost everywhere; everyone must be hiding in their homes to stay safe. It was eerily quiet. Haku flew quickly, as if he sensed that danger was lurking just around the corner.

"_Grrr…" _Haku growled. "What's wrong, Haku?" I asked. I could see a guarded look in his eyes, and I looked up to where he was looking. _Oh dear._

A huge monster was coming straight for us! Well, a _demon _would be a more precise term. It had 2 huge horns on its head, and was holding a magnificent and large sword in its right hand. It wore practically nothing except for a cloth around its waist that draped down to its knees. Its skin was white as snow, making it look sickly and horrifying under the bloodshot sky.

However, what I was terrified of was its eyes. They were gleaming red, and I could see that its eyes were totally devoid of emotion, but I could somehow make out the death message it brought deep within.

Haku was flying away quickly. I had never realized the intense speed of a dragon till now. I gripped his horns as tightly as I could to prevent myself from falling off.

Haku was flying much faster than the dragon, but he slowed down in the middle of a dark and musty alley hidden from the demon's sight. He let me down, and knowing him, he was ensuring with all of his senses, that the demon was not within a 30 km radius. After about 15 minutes squatting down and hiding in silence, he was finally satisfied and turned back into human form. I supposed he had some things to explain to me.

"Chihiro, I'm bringing you back home." Haku said in a stern voice.

_W-what?! No way am I leaving Haku! _

"No, I'm staying with you and we had already agreed on this, Haku." I was stubborn with my decision.

"Look, Chihiro. It's different now. The situation is much worse than I had expected, since I didn't manage to find out everything about Yubaba's plan, and I had underestimated her. You're in grave danger, and you know I won't let anything happen to you. I'm bringing you back home where it's safe."

Haku was as stubborn, though considering our current situation, he was right (pretty obviously). However, I wasn't going to give in that easily.

"How about this: We go to Zeniba's and fig-" I was interrupted by the loud roar that echoed throughout the place. It was coming closer and closer. Its every step made the ground tremble.

"H-h-how does it know where we are?!" I whispered in horror as the demon was nearing us.

"It's… It's following your scent… I thought Nugrates Demons were long banished from the spirit world thousands of years ago… Yubaba must have found a way to free them…" Haku replied. _Was it fear that I detected in his voice? _

"What? What scent?"

"All humans have scents which only demons can smell. Not just any demon can track human scents so sharply though, only the Nugrates Demons can. They are the spirits with the sharpest sense of smell, hence in the past; they were feared by all humans, since they preferred to feed on them."

My eyes widened in horror and my heart indulged in the new fear that was taking over me quickly.

He nodded at me, to show that he understood what I meant before I was interrupted. "I'll have to get you to the Guertu Waterfall as soon as possible so hiding from the demons will be easier. By standing under the waterfall for 1 hour, the scent leaves your body for 3 days. We'll find a way to get there once we reach Zeniba's. For now, we fly."

Haku finished, scooped me up onto his back and transformed into his dragon form as soon as the Nugrates Demon was just a couple of meters away.

We flew away at full speed, and we were safely flying far away from the demon's reach, but I gasped when I saw its eyes again. This time, I could tell from its eyes: It saw me as its prey. My hands shook with fear. My hands began to feel damp with sweat, and could feel my grip on Haku's horns loosening bit by bit.

_No! I mustn't let go of Haku! Don't be scared, Chihiro! Haku's here so everything will be alright! _I chided myself for doubting Haku's power and will to protect me.

I felt much more secure when I finally realized (when I was done scaring myself) that the demon was no match for Haku's speed and we were moving safely out of reach…

I must have fallen asleep on Haku's back from the exhaustion earlier, because when I woke up, I was in Haku's warm arms, being carried gently. His arms were so strong and comforting; I wish I could be carried by him like this forever. Soon, we were right outside a very familiar cottage.

_Déjà vu… Where have I seen th- Oh…? Oh! _

Zeniba and No-Face had just opened the door to greet us. I fumbled out of Haku's arms; I was embarrassed and could feel my cheeks heating up.

"Oh my, Chihiro! What a lovely surprise! It's nice to see you too, Haku. Come in and we'll talk more." Zeniba greeted us warmly, and No-Face greeted us with a smile, one that I had not seen in ages, and his usual "Uh!"

I had not realized how late it was. The brilliant moonlight was shining through the small windows of the cottage, and it was quiet all around except for the occasional sound of crickets chirping in the silent night.

Zeniba sat both of us down at the small round table, and No-Face brought a tray of warm, green tea for us. "Thank you." I said with a bright smile on my face. I hadn't realized how much I truly missed my friends here. No-Face returned my smile warmly.

"So, what brings you here so unexpectedly?" Zeniba asked in her serious tone. _When she says "unexpected", she really means "expected"._

"We're here to ask for help. Apparently Yubaba has managed to free the Nugrates Demons and now Chihiro is in danger. We need your help to get us to the Guertu Waterfall to help rid her of her scent." Haku was very straightforward whenever it came down to serious business.

"Yes, yes, the Nugrates Demons… It's been a long time since I've seen one. Well, I happen to have a map to get to the waterfall _just_ in case this sort of thing happened." Zeniba replied.

She left the table to her study where it was filled with shelves of books. I could only make out some of the words on the books; they were all old and some of them appeared to be written in an ancient language of sorts. She pulled out a book with a worn and old piece of cloth from it.

"Here, Haku. You should be able to read this right?" Zeniba handed over the piece of cloth to him. On it, there were some weird markings and there appeared to be some words, though they were probably in some form of ancient language.

"Yes, of course." Haku was staring intently at the map, scanning through it. "Is going through the Stollac Forest the only way to the Guertu Waterfall?" Was it me, or was Haku sounding worried again?

"If you would prefer this to the much longer detour, then yes. The longer detour would take you at least 3 days longer even if you travel at the speed of a dragon." Zeniba was sipping her tea.

"Let's go through the Stollac Forest then. It would be much more convenient, wouldn't it, Haku?" I asked, though doubts were now clouding my mind at the sight of Haku's deep frown.

"The Stollac Forest is full of mysterious spirits though... I'm just worried for Chihiro's safety since the spirits there conjure up different monsters which do not exist in the real spirit world; it's like entering another dimension. Zeniba, are you sure about this?" Haku was gripping the map so tightly, his knuckles were white.

Instinctively without thinking, I touched his arm, hoping he would relax. "Don't worry, the spirits there cannot harm to humans, so Chihiro will be fine. I'm surprised you're not worried about yourself at all, Haku. You're the one who would be in a worrying position if you were to go there." Zeniba answered, with just a hint of a worried crease starting on her wrinkled face.

"I can handle it. I've been there before. Furthermore, there are water spirits there and I'm practically a 'water god' since I'm the spirit of the Kohaku River, so I'll be able to get through it. Thanks Zeniba."

"Hmm… Fine then, if that's what you think. Anyhow, you two should stay for the night. Poor Chihiro is worn out from today, I'm sure. She's still in her uniform for goodness' sake!" Zeniba exclaimed.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Granny. I've really missed you and I do want to spend a little more time with you and No-Face before leaving." I could feel some tears starting to form, but I forced them back. _I can't help it, I miss them so much!_

Everyone was already fast asleep, but I was still awake; I just couldn't sleep. I stared up at the dark ceiling. It looked like a huge black hole, ready to engulf me into eternal darkness anytime.

That was precisely how I felt about going into the Stollac Forest tomorrow; if anything happened to Haku, I would wither slowly and painfully on the inside.

"Chihiro? Are you awake?" Haku whispered from the other end of the room. _He's still awake? _"Y-yeah, I'm awake. You haven't slept yet?" I was surprised. I had thought he would have been exhausted from the day's activities.

"Yeah, I'm tired, but can't fall asleep. I suppose it's the same for you, huh."

I nodded. The moonlight illuminated his face, and I could faintly make out his beautiful features. His, emerald eyes still shone equally bright even at night, and soon I realized that both of us were staring at each other. I looked down sharply to hide my blushing face.

Haku inched closer to me, whispering softly, "Are you worried about tomorrow?" I nodded, and before I knew it, my face was in Haku's chest, and I could hear his rapidly beating heart.

_Why is his heart beating so quickly? Hmm… maybe it's just a dragon thing…_

"I swear to you, Chihiro, I won't let anything happen to both of us… Let's go to sleep now alright?" Haku whispered ever so gently. He was stroking my head, which made my heart flutter and my cheeks felt like they were on fire. Again, I silently nodded, not daring to say anything in case I started stammering like a fool.

That night, I slept curled up next to my love, feeling secure near him. I could hear his every breath, and was tempted to trace the outlines of his features, though I was already too tired…

Just when I was drifting off to sleep, I thought I could hear Haku's voice faintly. "I… love you… Chihiro…"

Then, I drifted off into peaceful bliss in his warm, sturdy arms.


	6. The Stollac Forest

Spirited Away: The Stollac Forest

The next day, I woke up face-to-face with Haku. My eyes widened immediately out of shock, and I had to cover my mouth to keep from squealing (both from horror and in happiness). We were lying so close to each other, I had trouble moving my hand up to my mouth without waking him up. His eyelids were closed in a peaceful slumber, and his every breath made my heart tingle with joy.

Looking at him up-close like that, I couldn't stop myself from touching his face, outlining his graceful and handsome features. The sun shone on his skin, emphasizing his light skin tone. His eyes were closed gently, and this was probably the first time I saw such a calm and relaxed expression on his face since we entered the spirit world yesterday. His nose was cute, especially when he was breathing. My eyes then lowered down to his lips. _Chihiro, you pervert!_ But I couldn't help it. His lips seemed so soft and smooth I was so tempted to touch them. Before I knew it, I was leaning in closer and closer to him. I closed my eyes, butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

"… Chihiro…?" Haku groggily said. I almost shrieked, but realized that he was sleep talking. How cute!

"…Chihiro... I…" Haku continued, "…love you…"

I froze altogether. _W-what?! He… loves me?! That's crazy! He never once confessed to me or even showed any sign of liking me in that way! Or… did he…? _Then I recalled yesterday night.

"_I… love you… Chihiro…" _

I was exhilarated, though I could already sense that my face was red. _Haku likes me!_

"Pfft… Chihiro..? What are you so happy about?" I jumped at the sound of Haku's voice. My cheeks turned a deep red, and I looked down to hide my face. That was so embarrassing! Haku held me closer to him playfully, as if daring me to push him away. I was squirming about, trying to pull away from him from my embarrassment, but he held me firmly close to him.

I peeped up at his emerald eyes shyly, causing me to blush an even deeper red. I wanted to put my head down sharply again, but Haku suddenly released his grip on my back, and put his hands on my cheeks, forcing me to look at him in the eye. His eyes were sparkling (nothing unusual about that) and after we gazed into each others' eyes for what seemed like hours, he started to lean in. I closed my eyes, and could feel his breath on my nose. He was leaning in closer and closer…

"Now, now, what do we have here?" At the sound of Zeniba's chuckle, we separated in a flash, and I could guess that Haku was definitely going pink. "Well, after eating, you two can leave for the Stollac Forest. I'll have to leave soon to get some medicinal herbs for practicing my spells, so please hurry up and get your butts moving." Zeniba continued.

"Y-yes, of course! Sorry to bother you, Granny." I replied. I was still feeling jittery from what _almost _happened. Haku got up quickly and walked over to the table where a simple breakfast had been laid. I got up slowly and sat a little further away from Haku; it was extremely awkward between us. We ate in silence, and I could feel Zeniba's eyes on us. No-face could sense the tension in the air, so he decided to greet me. I smiled warmly at him, and motioned for him to take a seat beside me. He silently took his seat, watching me like he usually does. _Geez, does everyone have to stare at me now? This is such bad timing!_

We quickly finished eating, and Haku and I set off. I hugged No-face and Zeniba tightly, hoping I would be able to see them again. "Good luck, my dear!" Zeniba shouted. Her smile was as big as her head. We waved them goodbye and I got onto Haku's back. After ensuring I was securely holding on to his horns, he took off, and Zeniba's cottage grew smaller and smaller…

My mind pretty much drew a blank as I was still a little groggy from getting up so early—I'm not a morning person, and I always wake up twice in the morning, whereby I go back to sleep after waking up the first time. This time though, I stayed awake so I'm still quite sleepy—so I was just closing my eyes. Both of us were quiet too, from the awkwardness just now, and because he can't speak in dragon form, AND because of the pressure that was building up inside me (maybe him too?) as we made our way into the "treacherous" (what Zeniba said) Stollac Forest.

After a long time flying, I caught a faint whiff of a choking, pungent smell. The air felt thick, and I was frantically using one hand to cover my nose and mouth. I opened my eyes, and could see nothing but thick fog and faint mountains in the distance. I couldn't even see Haku's horns, though I was still holding on to them. Haku was slowly speeding up, and the air pressure clogged up my ears. I shut my eyes because the air was making my eyes too dry. I held on firmly, though I held my breath as much as possible and breathe through my mouth.

After a few more minutes, Haku landed and transformed back into his gorgeous human form. I opened my eyes and realized that the fog wasn't as bad, though still pretty thick. "Hold my hand, Chihiro." Haku instructed. I complied, not wanting to get lost in this dangerous place. The "sky" was green, and the ground was pink. _Interesting color combinations…_

The ground was full of protruding roots and I saw many plants that I had never seen before. They were of different sizes, and had extraordinary color combinations that were very unique. I was shocked and scared of the flesh-eating plants that were on the trees. They had sharp teeth and were really freaky. Fortunately they were too short to reach us, so we were safe, though I was still pretty freaked out. We were walking for a long time, and I looked to my watch to check the time. _The time on my watch had stopped. Huh? What's going on? Maybe it's just that it ran out of battery? Or is it something else…?_

I was beginning to feel a little unsettled, but we had been walking for a long time and so far everything seems pretty peaceful. It's probably not as dangerous as Zeniba and Haku thought it to be, right?

"Time stops in the Stollac Forest, because it's like entering another dimension when you enter this place. Don't let your guard down; many unknown creatures lurk about in the shadows, creatures that do not exist in the real world. Just hold on to my hand and don't let go, okay? We're reaching pretty soon." Haku seemed to be able to read my mind. He squeezed my hand lightly to reassure me, and we continued trudging along the forest.

"_Rustle, rustle~" _I didn't give the sound much thought, but Haku reacted quickly. He got me behind him, and he was looking around very warily. _"Rustle, rustle~"_ The sound was getting louder and louder. I squeezed Haku's hand tightly. Squeaking sounds echoed throughout the forest. The squeaky noises seemed to be coming from the trees, and I looked up, mentally preparing myself for the worst.

"_Squeak~ squeak~ chatter~" _I was completely drawn by the cuteness of the adorable squirrels on the trees! Well, _something_ like squirrels. They had long, bushy tails just like a squirrel, but their heads seemed oversized for their tiny bodies. There were at least a few hundred of them sitting on the trees surrounding us. They eyes were sparkling, which sort of reminded me of Haku's. I was so awed and excited, I totally forgot about what Haku just said.

"Don't move." Haku's soft, low voice startled me. "But they're so cute! C'mon Haku, they're not dangerous." I said in an equally low voice. "One sudden move and they attack, Chihiro. We'll have to stay still like that for at least half an hour." Haku continued softly. I was still doubtful, though I had a feeling that Haku was right. Just then, I heard an unusually loud squeak which made me flinch, resulting in subsequent chaos.

The squirrels started "screaming" which I swear almost made me go deaf. They started coming down from the trees towards us. I braced myself for impact when 20 squirrels made their way to me. They opened their mouths revealing their… fangs (?!) and they were about to sink them into my skin. Surprisingly though, they flew right through me. _What's going on?!_

I could hear Haku's sharp cry of pain, and when I turned to him, he was being attacked all over by the squirrels! He was trying to fight back against them with much difficulty. I tried getting them off him, but instead, my hands slipped right through them!

"_Don't worry, the spirits there cannot harm to humans, so Chihiro will be fine. I'm surprised you're not worried about yourself at all, Haku. You're the one who would be in a worrying position if you were to go there."_ Zeniba's voice echoed in my head. So that's why they can't harm me! They can't even touch me!

I was panicking and trembling when I saw the amount of blood that Haku was losing. He had changed into his dragon form, but the blood was still flowing and the squirrel monsters were practically ripping his flesh out. Fresh blood filled the air which sickened me. Haku flew up and tried shaking off the squirrels, but more squirrels simply pounced on him to replace the ones that got shaken off. I was shrieking and trying to get the squirrels off him in vain.

_I'm so useless! I can't help Haku and I got him into this mess! What should I do?! This can't be happening! I can't lose Haku again; not like this! _All hope seemed to be lost, and Haku was quickly losing his consciousness.

Everything seemed to be collapsing in front of my very eyes, but the only thing I saw clearly was the tiny water droplet that whizzed past me.

Hi! Sorry for the really delayed update, because I'm really busy gearing up for exams, but the only thing that motivated me to hurry up with this was you guys who have been reading this fanfic, and I'm really thankful to you guys for that! (: Thanks a bunch! I'll be working on the next chapter soon yea! ^^ Thanks for reading~


	7. The Guertu Waterfall

Spirited Away: The Guertu Waterfall 

_W-what…? _A water droplet that came from nowhere whizzed so quickly past my ear towards the bloodbath in front of me. It landed onto a squirrel, and it made a sizzling sound as it landed on the skin of the squirrel, protruding into its skin. The squirrel made a loud scream before fading away, vanishing. More water droplets came along, stinging all the squirrels in sight. The forest erupted into a chorus of eerie, piercing screaming as the squirrels all vanished, with the ones on the trees scampering away.

At last, they were all gone, but Haku was in a grave condition. He was bleeding all over, his injuries similar to that caused by Zeniba's golden seal. He was breathing heavily on the ground, and his eyelids were twitching, as if he were trying to keep from going unconscious. He returned back into his human form, lying on his stomach. I ran over to him, tears stinging my eyes and I tried to roll him over as gently as I could. He muttered a few groans in pain, and his hakama was stained a deep crimson. "H-Haku! Don't fall asleep!" I had no idea what to do; I was so useless in such a situation and my tears fell onto Haku's pale face. He gingerly lifted his hand up to my cheek to wipe them away. "Don't… worry… I'm fine…" Haku murmured.

I tore off a strip from my blazer and tied it tightly around his chest, where it was the main site of bleeding. I tied it very tightly, trying to ignore Haku's sharp cry of pain. "This will help to stop the bleeding. You're gonna be… alright, kay? Just… stay with me for now…" I tried to say as coolly as I could. The last thing I wanted was to make Haku worry even more. I secured the "bandage" with a tight double knot. I held on to Haku's hand and put it to my cheeks. His hand was so cold against my cheek and it was trembling slightly. The sky and ground had turned a dull brown, most probably to indicate the sharp drop in temperature. I took off my blazer and put it on him, not caring that I was also freezing. _What's with the sudden drop in temperature in this place?! Then again, what's not to expect here?_

"Hey, Haku, so… what's the Guertu Waterfall like? You've been here before right?" I had to keep up a conversation with him no matter what. "It's…the most beautiful place in the Spirit World, but it has healing powers and I came here before to practice some spells to gain more strength when I was under Yubaba as her apprentice." I had to move my ear to his lips in order to hear what he was trying to say; his energy was quickly running out. _Crap, what am I supposed to do now? He can't keep this up much longer…_

"Haku, show me where the Guertu Waterfall is. I'll go by myself." I said. "No… it's… too dangerous… for you…" Haku replied softly. "Hey, the Guertu Waterfall has healing waters from what you just told me a few moments ago, and I won't get hurt. It's better than staying here, right? Trust me, Haku." I pleaded with Haku. I wanted to protect him and do something for him, even if it was something minor. He placed his hand softly on my forehead, showing me the path to the Guertu Waterfall.

The path involved more walking through the forest, and it was covered in thick branches and roots that protruded high from the ground. Vines hung low like snakes, and there were a series of steps that I would have to climb before reaching the mouth of a deserted cave. It was a bat's nest, though I wouldn't be hurt by them, but I was still afraid of bats. Haku muttered something and I bent down again to hear him. "The Guertu Waterfall… You'll come to it once you reach the end of the cave…" I nodded, and was about to stand up, but Haku seemed like he wanted to say more, so I bent down again.

Haku kissed me gently on the cheek, startling me. "Don't ever stop believing in yourself, Chihiro, because I do." The spot where he kissed me was burning and my cheeks were quickly heating up despite the temperature of the surroundings. I nodded and squeezed his hand tightly. I ensured my blazer was covering him as much as possible to keep him warm. I took one last look at him, my heart twisting with pain as I saw him lying in such a state. _Don't worry, I'll be back. You'll be fine, Haku. _

I decided to jog to the Guertu Waterfall to keep warm and to travel faster. I jogged further into the forest, and dense leaves that covered the ground prevented me from being able to avoid areas with dents in the ground. I tripped several times, sustaining some minor bruises in the process. The weird smell and cold temperature of the air did not make things easier. I felt as if my throat was on fire and without water to cool it, it was a mental battle to keep going.

I finally arrived at the area with a thick branches and vines that hung low, as well as roots that protruded from the ground. Many dull-colored leaves filled the ground which came up all the way to my ankles. It blocked the indents in the ground, causing me to stumble even more. The roots went up as high as my chest level, and climbing over them multiple times was taking up all of my energy. The vines kept slapping my face, and they added to the poor visibility in the forest. All odds were obviously against me, and my body couldn't take it much longer; I was fatigued and exhausted. _Keep going, Chihiro, Haku's waiting for you!_

Haku was my only motivation. I kept going through, and a long staircase came into view. It looked like a mini version of the Great Wall of China, and climbing them basically killed my legs. My knees were buckling by the time I got to the mouth of the cave. I'd counted at least 2000 steps whilst climbing. My last obstacle: The bat's cave. The mouth of the cave had some sharp icicles sticking out, which made it look like an intimidating mouth, waiting to engulf me. I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the sickening squeaks made by the bloodsucking monsters.

Daringly, I took a step into the cave, and suddenly, everything went quiet. I decided to walk quickly to get it over and done with, assuring myself that the bats wouldn't be able to harm me. I walked further into the cave, the darkness surrounding me. I could only walk straight, hoping to see the light at the end soon. It was as if I was blindly walking.

"So, you've made it this far, huh?" I froze in my tracks. _Yu…baba…?_ I swore I'd heard her voice. "Hey, stop going further, Sen. You're not going to make it in time for Haku." _Lin…?_ "Chihiro, enough's enough." _Kamaji…?! What's going on here?! _"Chihiro, you're too late, give it up… Haku won't make it." Zeniba's voice was clear. "Granny? Where are you…? W-What's… going on?" I asked. I was scared, and was frantically looking around, looking for my friends, though I only saw darkness. _It's as if… I'm a bat… Bats can only hear and speak, but cannot see… _

"You can't make it, give up, Chihiro. Go back to the human world and don't get Haku into further trouble." Granny's cold voice came again. "I-I've been… a bother…" I muttered to myself. The chorus of their voices made me start to lose my senses. I tried running forward to escape the voices, but they remained equally loud. I gave up after running out of stamina. I squatted down, curling up into a ball, and covered my ears to block them out. I stayed there for a long time, becoming more and more demoralized. _I shouldn't have come here, I've been nothing but trouble to Haku, and now he's dying because of me… _

_Don't ever stop believing in yourself, Chihiro, because I do._ These words made their way into my heart, firmly taking root. I untied my hair, firmly clutching the purple hair tie that Zeniba had given me, as a symbol of the friendships my friends, Haku and I had built 7 years ago. I took a few long, deep breaths and stood up. I continued walking steadily, and soon enough, the voices faded away, and the darkness that hung over my eyes slowly dissipated. I could finally see, and the light I saw at the end of the cave gave me indescribable joy and satisfaction. I ran towards the light, revealing a secret paradise.

The place was filled with lush greenery, with the warm sun hanging in the beautiful blue sky. Flowers were sprouting everywhere and when they bloomed, diamonds were found in the middle of the flowers. I was completely awed by the scenery. _Finally, something more normal in this place!_ Walking further, I finally spotted the Guertu Waterfall. It was absolutely breathtaking. Fresh water streaming down and the soft, clear sound of the water falling made me relax altogether. It was truly a sight to behold. The rocks at the corner of the pool of water were gleaming in the sunlight, and the water seemed to sparkle magnificently.

The Guertu Waterfall was surrounded by pretty fruit trees with blooming flowers, and the vines that hung from the trees were decorated with little flowers. I imagined this being the Garden of Eden, being in paradise. As I neared the waterfall, suddenly, the falling water formed a face. It was the face of a man, with a beard and thick eyebrows. He had beautiful green eyes, and he had a gentle expression on his face.

"Ogino Chihiro, welcome to the Guertu Waterfall. I'm the spirit that guards this waterfall. I believe you have gone through a lot just to get here, and I am obliged to grant you a single wish that the healing waters of this waterfall can do." He said in a fluid voice that seemed to make all the trees and flowers in the area 'brighten up'. "…Thank you, I would like for you to bring Haku here and heal him. He's in urgent need of help because of his current condition…" I pleaded. The Guertu Waterfall spirit raised his eyebrows slightly, then he broke into a fatherly grin. "Of course." The waters from the pool swirled about and shot out towards the cave. It was moving about at top speed, like a torpedo. I watched in amazement and the graceful movements of the water. The water flowed beautifully and the water seemed to be dancing about.

I waited anxiously, getting more and more worried by the minute about Haku. _What if I'm too late? What if, he didn't make it? What if…_ "Don't worry, he's fine." The Guertu Waterfall spirit seemed to be able to read my mind perfectly and his soothing voice assured me a little. In no time, the water was rushing back, and Haku was lying submerged in the water, unconscious. The water went back into the 'pool' without any loud splashes; the movement of the water was just so graceful. Haku was now in a sitting position in the water, leaning on the rocks. I rushed over to him, getting both of us soaked when I tripped on the wet rocks and made a loud splash when I fell in.

Haku's eyes slowly opened, and he blinked in confusion when he saw both of us wet. "Where…" He stopped in mid-sentence when he realized where we were. He untied the knot that I'd tied, and returned my blazer to me. To my surprise, his wounds were completely healed, without a scar left. The blood on his hakama previously had all been washed off, without even a hint of the slightest stain. He was grinning and pulled me into a bear hug. "I knew you could do it!" I was overjoyed that Haku was alright, and hugged him back tightly.

Tears of relief sprang into my eyes, and I whispered, "Thanks for believing in me, Haku..." Haku stroked my hair gently. "You're a special girl who saved your parents from Yubaba when you just 10 years old; how could I doubt your strength now that you're more mature?" His green eyes sparkled just like the water, and reminded me of the Guertu Waterfall spirit who was watching all this with a broad smile on his face.

I looked at him and pulled away from Haku in embarrassment. "Well, it's nice to see such pure love in this corrupted world." He teased. Haku bowed low, and said, "Chihiro needs to be submerged here for 1 hour to rid her body of her human scent." "Okay, and you, the Kohaku River, you'd better stay here for at least half an hour too, to regain your strength. You could practice some spells here while waiting. Anyway, I'll leave you two now, so good luck." The Guertu Waterfall spirit said. I quickly shouted a "Thank you very much!" before the waterfall regained its original form, falling straight down.

"Okay, now, you have to stand under the waterfall for one hour before the scent will leave your body." Haku offered his hand to me and pulled me up. He led me to the waterfall, but I was hesitant because the pressure seemed so strong. "Don't worry, it won't hurt." Haku nudged me towards the waterfall. I meekly shuffled towards it, and gulped before standing under it. I shut my eyes tightly, mentally preparing myself for the immense pressure of the water to fall on my head. Instead, the water just fell like light raindrops that felt refreshing. I opened my eyes and started smiling in wonder of the waterfall. Haku was laughing at my reaction, saying I was cute which made me blush.

On the other hand, he simply sat down in the water and started meditating, and a few moments later, a huge bubble floated up from the water and encased him. I was staring in amazement, never seeing him practicing magic before. I sat down under the waterfall and decided to pass the time by looking at Haku meditate and practice his spells. He was so fascinating; I couldn't tear my eyes off him. Half an hour later, the bubble of water fell back into the water, and Haku looked much more energetic than before. His wet hair made him look really handsome, and I felt my cheeks heat up again.

"Are you bored?" He asked. I shook my head, apparently having lost the ability to talk. I looked down, trying to avoid looking in his eyes. Haku stepped closer to me, and hugged me suddenly. He said nothing, and I was pretty much frozen by his touch. We stayed in that position for a while, and time seemed to pass too quickly; soon Haku was pulling away and offering me his hand. "Let's go now." I shyly took his hand, and after using a spell to get the water off from my clothes and hair, I did French braided my hair and tied it up with the purple hair tie.

Haku then changed into his dragon form and with me securely on his back, he flew upwards, protruding some sort of force field. We then made our way towards the bathhouse. On the way, I drifted into sleep, dreaming about everyone: Lin, Zeniba, Kamaji, No Face, Bo, my parents, and Haku, all of us together.

_I'll protect my friends and family, and no evil witch was going to stop me. _


	8. The Face-Off

Spirited Away: The Face-Off

I was jolted awake by the intimidating loud growls of the Nugrates Demons. I lay as close as possible on Haku's back, trying hard to remain unnoticeable. We were nearing the bathhouse; I could barely spot it in the distance. The closer we got though, the more Nugrates Demons and guardian warriors I spotted, much of it to my horror. Trying to steady my breaths, I wiped my sweaty palms first before grabbing on to Haku's horns tightly, an indication that I was prepared.

Right on cue, he started flying upwards and circled into the sky right above the bathhouse. He then started zooming downwards into the tallest balcony of the building. He changed into his human form quickly and holding my hand tightly, we fled into the building quietly, and down a long, long flight of stairs. After what seemed like an eternity of steps, we dashed through a familiar route leading to the boiler room. We narrowly escaped a few suspicious glances from the workers, who otherwise, did not bother about us.

I stepped into the room a few degrees higher compared to the outside temperature and easily spotted Kamaji. If it weren't for Haku's hand covering my mouth a split second before I shouted Kamaji's name in my excitement, we would have been found quickly. I glanced apologetically at Haku, and meekly walked briskly into the room to quickly call for Kamaji's attention. He looked up briefly from his work and his face brightened up immediately when he saw me. "Chihiro!" I noticed his sunken cheeks and pale face. I walked over with a frown. "Kamaji… What's going on? You look pretty bad…" I pouted slightly, worried deeply.

"Haku, she knows what's been going on lately right?" Kamaji asked Haku quickly. Haku nodded, and he continued while getting back to work, "The bathhouse's been getting much fewer customers because of what Yubaba's doing. You still see us working hard right? It's because everyone's getting all jittery and scared of how Yubaba will punish slackers. She punished a few people before pretty badly, from what I've heard." I closed my mouth, my heart rate rapidly increasing.

"How's Lin?" I asked on instinct. "She's been exhausted the past few days, but you know her, she just complains but she's tough. Don't worry too much about her." I heard some soft squeaking noises and saw the soot balls rushing to my feet in excitement. They also looked tired, but still as cute as ever. "Hey guys, I'm back." I whispered with a smile. While I decided to play around with the soot balls, Haku went over to Kamaji to talk for a bit.

I bent down slightly to tickle the soot balls around me. They gave out squeals of delight which made me giggle. Although, one by one, all of a sudden they were looking up behind me and jumping up and down. "What's wrong..?" I turned around, but I found a hand clasped firmly on my mouth with an arm wrapped around my stomach, restricting my hand and leg movement and then the cold blade of a sword meeting my neck.

"Chihiro!" Haku's horrified eyes met mine, and I could only helplessly watch as another guardian warrior I supposed—it, or _he_, definitely wasn't a Nugrates Demon—quickly pinned a struggling Haku on the floor, and locking him in the same position as me, before swiftly exiting the room.

"What a pleasant surprise, Chihiro dear. It's been what, 7 years since you left?" Yubaba cackled. Haku and I were now on the floor, tied up with magical ropes, completely defenseless. "Stop whatever you're doing, Yubaba. You know it's totally senseless and stupid. You're actually incurring losses for your bathhouse and you're killing your workers!" I spat out furiously, getting more and more agitated with every word. Her laugh made me all the more annoyed.

"I assume you already know what has been going on," she replied, her eyes flickering to Haku, "so I shan't say anymore. As for why, do you know how painful it is to lose a loved one? A child?!" Yubaba slammed her fists down on the table hard, making me jump. "You have no idea what I've had to go through. It's because of you stupid humans, your greed; you trouble-makers should be wiped off the face of this universe! You are no exception, my dear. Making trouble at this bathhouse 7 years ago, if it weren't for Bo, I would have killed you secretly!" she hissed. I winced at her attacks. I didn't mean to cause trouble here in the bathhouse…

"But… it's been so long, Yubaba. Why can't you just let it go? Don't you get tired from this? You have nothing to gain from this!" I pleaded. "My lost child, my poor child died for no reason and I haven't settled this score. You think you can change my mind with your pathetic begging? Save your breath and my time." Yubaba smirked at me, the hatred obvious in her eyes. "So… what are you going to do now?" Haku inquired with an even voice.

"I hoped that you would ask, Haku. I prepared something special for you." Yubaba took a small pill from a drawer in her desk and walked over to Haku. I stared in horror. I expected her to pop it into his mouth, but instead, she squished it in her fist and held the remnants under Haku's nose. Soon enough, the pieces were all gone. Where did they all go? Just then, I saw Haku's face contort in a weird expression, moaning and panting heavily. Then, he went limp on the floor. "What… What did you do to him?!" I cried out angrily, tears forming quickly.

To my relief, he sat up again, this time, his face blank. I heaved a sigh of relief, but Yubaba's chuckle made me freeze. That was not a good sign. I looked at Haku more closely, to see that his eyes were now a bloody red, and he was staring right at me blankly. Yubaba muttered a few words and the magical ropes disappeared around him. Haku stood up and bowed low towards Yubaba. She smirked and glanced at me. "Haku, I'll leave her to you now. Sadly, I can't stay and watch the show; I'm going off now." After handing him a sharp knife, she turned around to leave with the guardian warriors following her. "Where are you going?" I shouted, mentally slapping myself for letting my desperation show in my voice.

"What do you think, girl?" With another evil cackle, Yubaba left, and the guardian warriors closed the doors behind her. I turned back to Haku, gulping as he stood up, walking towards me. "Haku… Haku. Wake up! Haku! I'm Chihiro! Wake up!" I screamed as he bent towards me, the knife in hand. I tried a few more times in vain. He was so close, I was backing down on the floor, and his face was hovering right above mine, the knife raised. His eyes held no emotion, not a trace of warmth; this wasn't the Haku I knew. I knew I had no chance of snapping him out of the spell.

I let the tears freely flow down my face. Staring at Haku's expressionless face, I resigned to my fate. I reached up and kissed him gently on the lips, staying there for as long as I could bear. I felt my cheeks flush and my heart beat hard, knowing it would be the last time I could ever feel this way again. "Sorry Haku…" I whispered softly, then lying back down and closing my eyes, mentally preparing myself for the impending darkness.

I felt the sharp, cold blade on my chest, threatening to tear through my flesh. I guess this is goodbye… "Bam!" Something had knocked Haku away. And it was something hard. "Chihiro! I've missed you! Are you okay?" My eyes fluttered open, and standing right before me was Bo! "Bo! Oh, I've missed you so much too! Yes, I'm fine, thanks to you. Why are you here?" I was in utter shock and my heart was finally pumping again. "I heard Mama from my room. She thought I was asleep, but you woke me up with your screaming, like last time," he said. He had grown quite a bit, wearing a pair of cute pants and a T-shirt. I chuckled at his last sentence. "Sorry Bo, my bad." I grinned. I grimaced when I remembered Haku and looked at him. He was unconscious a little further away from me. "Bo, you've gotten stronger! Anyway, what do we do with Haku?" I was worried again.

Bo smiled charmingly at me, his chubby cheeks showing. "I took so long because I was looking for the antidote Mama hid in my room!" He skipped over to Haku and made sure Haku was lying on his back. He took out a small glass bottle with a blue substance in it and uncapped it the bottle, letting the blue gas flow out of the bottle into Haku's nostrils.

I held my breath in anticipation, and in a matter of seconds, Haku was sitting up, rubbing his head. "Ouch… It hurts… what happened..? Chihiro..?" Confusion settled over his features, and as realization hit him, he was beside me almost instantly. "Are you alright?" I nodded vigorously, giggling at his frantic state. However, I quickly stopped and looked down, feeling the flush in my cheeks return when I recalled kissing him. "What's wrong? Do you feel unwell anywhere?" He was grabbing me by the shoulders, one hand on my chin to push my face up and face him. I was blushing uncontrollably by then, and decided to hide my face in his clothes. "Yes… I'm fine…"

"Let's go." He commanded, suddenly serious. He swept me up and carried me princess-style, and then fled out of the room after thanking Bo. "Where are you going?" I asked. "Where Yubaba is." With that, he flipped me onto his back as we entered outside and changed into a dragon. He easily steadied me on his back since I couldn't hold on by myself—well duh, I was still tied up. Since I was on my back, I could only stare up at the sky and admire the bright stars that were shining so beautifully in the dark night sky. I silently prayed, thinking about everything that had happened so far.

I didn't know how long it'd been, but after a long while, I heard loud chanting in the far distance. As expected, Haku was already flying in that direction; the chanting was getting louder and louder. Did Yubaba practice black magic or something? I never actually thought about that… Haku landed somewhere a little more deserted away from where Yubaba was. He changed into human form, carrying me princess-style again. He then set me down gently, saying, "Stay here, I'll be back soon." My eyes widened in shock at his intentions. "No! You can't go alone! You'll get killed! Haku!" I whispered as loud as I dared.

He put his finger to my lips, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please don't be like this, Chihiro. I have to go. Just stay here and be quiet." I stubbornly refused, and opened my mouth to argue further, but to my surprise, Haku pressed his lips to mine instead. We stayed in that position for a long while, which in reality was at most 10 seconds, and he finally let go, his cheeks slightly pink. "Just… do as I say… I'll be back." He whispered, and kissed me on the forehead lightly before turning around. "Haku… Don't go… You can't…" I could feel the tears forming, threatening to leave the safety of my eyes. Haku was already on his way, leaving me whimpering on my own in the darkness.

I crawled around like a worm, trying to find something sharp to cut the ropes after lying down for a few minutes doing nothing. I found a sharp piece of glass at a corner, and I crawled slowly to it, trying to make as little noise as possible. I finally reached it and went to work trying to cut the rope. 1 minute. 2 minutes. 3 minutes. Still, the rope was as firm on my wrists. Dang it, what was I thinking? Magic ropes wouldn't be cut by mere glass! Annoyed, I roughly threw it away, accidentally cutting my wrist. The cut stung painfully, and I could feel the warm, sticky liquid flow out steadily.

All of a sudden, the ropes were tugging me out, to the direction of where Haku went. It yanked me all the way into the air, carrying me up high towards a clock tower, into the middle of a large army of guardian warriors and Nugrates Demons. I landed squarely on my butt next to Haku who was badly beaten up, and I grimaced as my injured wrist hit the ground as well, scraping it further. Haku was lying down, barely conscious. "I underestimated you, Chihiro. Whatever, you can witness how I destroy your home and your loved ones as well!" I whipped my head in Yubaba's direction. There was a portal right next to her.

"I had just finished opening the portal to the human world, and now, I'll finish you off while destroying your world as well!" she smirked. I then realized that the Nugrates Demons were all growling, inching closer and closer to me. Fear was evident on my face, a questioning look in my eyes. "My, my, is that blood? How careless! You do know that blood will arouse the Nugrates Demons, regardless of how long you stay in under the Guertu Waterfall right?" Yubaba grinned broadly, and I could tell color was draining from my face. I watched as the Nugrates Demons were inching closer and closer to me menacingly.

She let one of the Nugrates Demons through towards me, and it was growling scarily, its drool dropping steadily from its mouth. It sickened me to the core. I felt like throwing up; everything was just too much. It started towards me, and picked me up in its fist, breaking the magic ropes easily. It started using its claw to trace my neck area, and then fixated at my throat. It was going to tear up my throat and eat me. I gulped in fear and closed my eyes tightly.

I glanced one last time at Haku, a tear drop landing on his bruised face. He looked at me, a horrified and pained expression in his eyes. "Chi…hi…ro…" He managed out painfully. "I'm sorry… I wasn't of any use… Goodbye Haku…" And then, darkness seeped into my sight.

"Oof!" I landed on my butt painfully for the second time, but in total darkness. I looked around, but there was nothing. A bright light pierced through the darkness, illuminating the place again. Looking around, I saw Yubaba, Haku and I, but the Nugrates Demons were gone, and the guardian warriors were now surrounding an astonished Yubaba. I blinked in confusion, then turned to see Haku breathing hard, grabbing my hand. "Chihi…ro…" I looked to him and hugged him, burying my face in his clothes, relieved, but confused. Everything was just happening too quickly.

"Yubaba," A loud, majestic voice was coming from in front of us. There, 3 grand dragons were standing next to each other, facing Yubaba. The dragon speaking had beautiful golden scales with snow white fur, while the 2 dragons standing on either side of it had silver scales with snow white fur as well.

"You are hereby charged for treason, the abduction and abuse of the highest class of spirits, the dragon."

I really apologize for the late update! I've been concentrating too much on my other story so I sorta neglected this one :\ I've finally worked it out though! Sorry if this chapter is too rushed or confusing, because I'll break it down in the next one yea (: And I know the ending sucks, but I didn't want to squeeze too much into this chapter… Thanks for reading guys! :D


	9. Miko

Spirited Away: Miko

"_You are hereby charged for treason, the abduction and abuse of the highest class of spirits, the dragon."_

What..? What in the world was happening? I looked around and finally spotted a barely conscious Haku. He smiled a tiny smile of relief when he saw me. Finally unable to sustain his consciousness, he went out like a light. I limped painfully over to him, resisting the urge to start rubbing my butt in such a place. I threw myself towards him and held him up carefully, ignoring the increasingly stinging pain coming from my wrist. My tears fell onto his bruised face. Using my sleeve, I wiped the blood off of his face, leaving only the blue-black bruises.

The voices of the golden dragon caught my attention and I whirled my head around, hoping to get some understanding of the situation. "We have been given evidence of your misdeeds, Yubaba, and you know full well of the consequences of your actions. The death sentence shall be passed unto you." When he finished, he nodded to one of the silver dragons who started towards me and Haku. My eyes widened in panic, worried that he would do something to Haku. Instead, he said nothing, and closed his eyes, emitting a bright yellow light that surrounded his entire body. The light spread towards Haku and I, and shortly after, it retracted back and he nodded at me, returning to the other 2 dragons. I felt Haku moving in my arms.

"…Chihiro..?" He was now fully conscious and sitting up by himself. His injuries were all miraculously gone, and I stared at him incredulously. He looked at me in concern, and then his eyes darted to the scene in front of us. His eyes became huge and immediately, he got up and changed into his dragon form, bowing to the 3 dragons. Wondering what was going on, my eyes travelled to my wrist, wondering why I hadn't felt the pain for a while now. My heart started beating wildly when I saw that not even the slightest hint of a scar could be seen on my wrist. All my injuries were gone too. I looked up at the silver dragon that had healed us in gratitude, and bowed formally to him.

I noticed Yubaba was at a loss for words and her bun now, instead of its usual neatness, was in a mess, with strands of hair sticking out all over the place. She looked tired, and was now sagging down, making the guardian warriors pull her up. The golden dragon now turned to face me. "Ogino Chihiro," he said. I Iamely replied, "Yes sir..?" before flushing in awkward embarrassment. "You have been a great help to a fellow dragon, and we appreciate your sincere efforts. The Nugrates Demons have been sent back into exile just for your information. I understand your current confusion, but I trust that the Kohaku River will explain everything in detail later. We will open a portal for you to return to your home safely after we are done cleaning up this mess," he continued firmly, adding a pointed look in Yubaba's direction.

"W-Wait!" I cried impulsively. He turned back to me questioningly. I cleared my throat nervously. "Please… please have mercy on Yubaba… I know that she's done very bad things, but don't kill her! She still has her son to take care of and… and…" I stammered, but the golden dragon did not seem interested in the least. "Ogino Chihiro, dragons are the highest class of spirits in the Spirit World, and in human terms, we are basically like 'royalty'. You do know full well the severity of kidnapping and abusing a 'royal' in your human world, right? That is how serious the situation is now," he replied somewhat patiently. "I understand the severity of the situation, but I believe in mercy and grace too, sir. Please don't be offended by my boldness, because this is in my opinion. Yubaba does deserve the death sentence, but I implore you to have mercy on her, and if not her, then her son who is waiting for her back at the bathhouse," I said as courageously as possible, though my shaking hands were out to betray me.

He looked quite amused with my reply and seemed to be in deep consideration of my proposal. Just as he was about to reply though, another familiar figure flew into the scene. "My, my, thank goodness I got here in time!" Zeniba exclaimed while making her grand entrance. Something small and furry was sitting on her shoulder, and it reminded me on Bo, though there was something different about it. "My lords, I've come here to give my sister something before she leaves," Zeniba said with a deep bow. They seemed to be familiar with each other as they complied easily. In his dragon form, Haku stood beside me, resting his head lightly on my shoulder.

Taking the little hamster off her shoulder, she set it lightly on the ground, and it changed into a toddler. She looked similar to Bo, but she looked older and she was very cute too. Yubaba's eyes suddenly got teary and large tears fell down her cheeks as she went over to embrace the toddler. "K…Ko..!" she exclaimed with happiness, sobbing at the same time. The toddler gently embraced her, tears flowing down her cheeks as well. "I'm here mama… I've missed you…" Now I was stumped. That was her supposedly deceased daughter..?!

"H-How did you…" Yubaba stammered questioningly to Zeniba. "Well, in a nutshell, my dear niece's spirit was left to wander since she was killed as a baby and she was killed in the mountains. I know you haven't been able to succeed in the revival spell for your baby, so I did it for you, though it took many years since it required such a high level of magic. Sorry it took so long, dear," she smiled reassuringly, embracing Yubaba comfortingly. Yubaba let her tears flow freely, and this was the first time I saw her emotionally vulnerable self. The touching scene there brought me close to tears, and I couldn't help but sniffle.

The golden dragon cleared his throat. "Alright, we need to take our leave." He nodded to the guardian warriors who started to take Yubaba along with them. Turning to me, he now had a fatherly and gentle smile on his face. "Yubaba will be stripped of all her magical powers and will be sent into exile for her actions." I heaved a heavy sigh of relief, smiling in return, bowing to him. "Kohaku River, it was a certain dragon who helped you by providing the evidence for us to nail Yubaba. You would be able to remember a certain Miko-san, would you?" I looked to Haku, whose eyes had widened significantly. I furrowed my brows slightly. Just who was that? As if on cue, another dragon came into view. She was beautiful, with sky blue fur and pure white scales. She was a little shorter than Haku but the graceful movements of hers were enough to take my breath away.

With that, the 3 dragons faded away along with the guardian warriors and Yubaba. Haku and the dragon… Miko, if I hadn't heard wrongly, had both changed into their human forms and were now staring awkwardly at each other. Miko had beautiful navy blue hair and her eyes sparkled with the color of the sky. She was dressed in a flowing blue dress that drooped down to her knees which showed off her figure perfectly. When I realized I was staring, I looked away, realizing that Zeniba was still there. She nodded to me, smiling and mouthing a word of thanks before taking Ko by the hand, she vanished. "Miko..?" Haku was the first to break the silence. He walked slowly towards her, his eyes revealing his disbelief.

I noticed Miko smiling shyly as she bowed formally to him. "Long time no see, huh. Still remember me?" she asked playfully. I cocked my eyebrows up, wondering how long they'd known each other for. Haku stopped about a meter away from her. "Y-Yeah… but… how..?"

"Ever since you disappeared, Haku, I've been searching everywhere for you. To sum it up, I found out about Yubaba's doings at the bathhouse and collected evidence against her to appeal to the 3 Great Spirits."

I could feel a pang of jealousy. I was grateful for her help, or we would have been dead, but still, it was just disappointing that I hadn't been able to do anything for Haku… "This is Chihiro. Chihiro, this is Miko. We've been friends for a long time," Haku took me by the hand and led me to Miko, who was holding out her hand to me, a bright smile on her face. I smiled slightly and shook her hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Miko."

A/N: Just who is this person? (: Yay finally the Yubaba part's done! :D Sorry this chapter was pretty short, and sorry for the 20-day wait hehe I've been pretty absorbed in doing up this new story and stuff... Anyway, right now, I'm working on the next chapter already so I'll most probably be updating by this week. Thanks for reading!


	10. Choices

Spirited Away: Choices

A/N: Wala~ What did I tell you? Within the week! The chapter's short, but oh well. You'll see the next chapter soon! I think. (: Enjoy!

* * *

[Haku's Story]

Back at the bathhouse I led the two girls up to my room. We sat down around a small wooden table in the middle of the room, and Chihiro was glancing around the room with a hint of a smile on her lips. I smiled a little, but it vanished as soon as it had appeared when Miko came once again into my sight. Seeing Miko again was just… I felt a mix of sadness, guilt and… longing..? Did I miss her? Yes, I was sure I did. After all… it's been such a long time.

Miko was someone I had known since young as our rivers were very close to each other. When I was still under Yubaba's control, I couldn't remember anything, but now, seeing her again… In the past we were so close and spending so many years with each other, our friendship had bloomed into a wonderful relationship, and I had forgotten how much joy I had felt back in those days. Miko was such a bubbly and cute girl and very adventurous. She loved going places and experiencing different things; she enjoyed and treasured each day we had together. I had loved her whole-heartedly then, simply enjoying being together with her. We had even planned on mating with each other, but we couldn't because then Yubaba came into the picture.

Seeing her again… I didn't know what to feel… My feelings for her were definitely not the same as what I felt for Chihiro. I snapped out of my thoughts when Chihiro waved her index finger in front of my face. "Haku..? You okay?" It wasn't until then that I realized I had been staring at Miko. I flushed a little in embarrassment, hoping Chihiro did not get the wrong idea. "Y-Yeah… I'm fine… just a little distracted…" Chihiro still looked concerned, however. I squeezed her hand in reassurance, and seeing her sagged shoulders and drooping eyelids, I laid out my futon for her at one side of the room and tucked her under the covers. "Get some sleep, Chihiro. You'll be going back tomorrow; you're only staying over at Sakura's for 5 days." She nodded and let out a cute, small yawn before drifting easily to sleep.

I turned back to Miko and sat down at the table facing her. I could see a small frown etched on her face which somehow made guilt clutch me tightly. It was plain that both of us would be talking about a lot tonight. I looked down at my hands quietly, before deciding to break the silence. "…Thanks for saving us, Miko."

"You're welcome…" she replied coolly.

Another minute of awkward silence.

"So… how have you been..?" I asked.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Haku, ever since you left," she suddenly exclaimed with tears in her eyes. Her sudden outburst startled me and I leaned over to wipe her tears. As I wiped them, she gazed into my eyes, momentarily causing me to pause. She was as beautiful as I could remember, but… those eyes… there was something different about them now… I remember being bewitched and charmed by her every time I gazed into them… I looked away and sat down again, but she held on firmly to my sleeve. "I guess… I'm no longer in your heart, huh Kohaku?" she whispered softly. She was hurt and the guilt simply increased in my heart. I nodded stiffly, refusing to meet her eye. "Answer me, Haku!" she raised her voice by a few decibels, I was afraid that Chihiro would wake up. I looked back just to make sure. She was still sleeping, thankfully. I turned back to Miko. "Not anymore…" I replied guiltily.

Miko looked down and let go of my sleeve a little unwillingly, and the tears streaming down her cheeks were unmistakable. "I've never once stopped loving you, and yet…" I reached for her hand, but she quickly moved it away, the sadness flashing in her eyes as she turned to face me. "I'm sorry, Miko," I knew my reply was pathetic, but that was all I could do: Apologize. She started to break down into sobs of anger and hurt, and all I could do was sit and watch her. My heart was breaking too; I had once loved her, and I still did, though not in the way that she wanted me to.

* * *

Miko had finally calmed down, and I knew she was finally going to get serious. She was now sitting facing me, her face devoid of emotion, which made my heart ache even more. "The 3 Great Spirits do not approve of your relationship with Chihiro, and they want you to break off this relationship with her now," she stated plainly. I knew that was coming. I was expecting this to happen, since I am, in fact, a dragon. Another rule of being a dragon: You can't mate with others other than your own kind and element. "You know that dragons are not allowed to mate with dragons of another element, let alone a mere human, Haku." I took a deep and long breath. "I know, I don't have the intention of mating with Chihiro, Miko."

Miko slammed her hand on the table loudly in agitation. "Kohaku! Don't give me that crap! You know that if a dragon doesn't mate within the first 2000 years of its lifespan it will eventually die! You have only less than a year left, Kohaku! So, what are you going to do?!" she spat out in utter annoyance. I internally groaned, knowing the severity of her words. If I had to mate, I would have 2 ways out: Number 1, mate with Miko, and number 2, let Chihiro die and get the 3 Great Spirits' permission for us to mate. Obviously number 2 was out… but I knew number 1 would be impossible for me… I guess dying would be the last way out huh…

[Chihiro's Story]

I suppressed the urge to run over to Haku and knock him on the head. I had heard enough to understand the situation there. My sleep had been interrupted when I heard Miko raising her voice at Haku. I had been pretending to sleep to eavesdrop on their conversation. I had known something was up the minute Haku sent me to sleep with the 2 of them left to talk. Man, what I would give to just hit Haku awake now… He couldn't just die for me! He should just mate with Miko! I bit my lip in an effort to not groan in frustration. _But, could you bear to see him mate with Miko? _I knew I would be unable to bear it, but for his sake… then…

"_You know that dragons are not allowed to mate with dragons of another element, let alone a mere human, Haku."_

Tears welled up in my eyes, my heart finally registering those words. I knew that I could never be worthy of Haku; he was like royalty, and I, no better than a servant. I knew I was making this analogy sound like some fairytale like Cinderella or something, only that there wasn't going to be a happy ending for us. The only one who has been burdening him this whole time was me. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have had to go through all that in the Stollac Forest. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't have had to constantly worry about me. If it weren't for me, he wouldn't be choosing death. If it weren't for me, he would have chosen Miko and be leading a wonderful life right now.

I realized that it had been quiet for a while, and I wondered what was going on. Then, I felt sudden warmth on my forehead. My heart started beating wildly and I tried as hard as possible to suppress the blush I knew was going to come up. Haku would know I wasn't asleep. His finger traced my cheek where a stray tear had gone which left tingles down the areas that had experienced his touch. He took my hand and held it up such that it was touching his cheek. He held it there for a while, and I guessed that he was deep in thought. "I love you, Chihiro. Don't ever leave me, no matter what happens, okay?" he whispered quietly. I would have sprung up and hugged him right then and there if I weren't in the middle of my sleeping beauty act. After a while of focusing on regulating my breathing and pulse, Haku got up and lay down on the floor beside me. I could tell he was facing me because I could feel the warm air exhaled with each breath he took.

That night, not once did he let go of my hand.

* * *

A/N: MWAHAHAHAHHAHAHA I have no idea why I'm doing that; I'm just going high now but not because of sugar. How's the chapter? Is it too short? Sorry, I didn't want to continue the chapter because I liked the ending as it is. By the way, today when I sat down to brainstorm, I finally thought of a minor twist to the story so the story doesn't get so predictable :\ Cuz' me no likey predictable stories~ But, there's a limit to the twist, so I'll leave it to you guys to try predicting and see if it's what you expected? If you want you can review this chapter and add your prediction, but tell me if you want me to answer you via PM as to whether it's correct or not haha cuz' some people don't like spoilers. I'll be updating soon, I think, cuz' now I'm just so into the story I'm going crazy, though I wouldn't pull an all-nighter. Sleeping is still at the top of my list and it's late now so nitez! :D


	11. Broken

Spirited Away: Broken

I lazily rubbed my eyes and tilted my head to the left to see Haku lying right beside me. How nostalgic. The corners of my lips turned up, but a frown forced its way onto my face when I recalled the conversation between Haku and Miko last night. I noticed Haku was still holding on to my hand tightly. It was easy to tell that Haku had lost sleep last night with his eye bags. I carried on observing Haku in his deep sleep until I heard the door slide open. Miko's head peeped into the room and she made eye contact with me, motioning for me to leave. I tried to wriggle my hand out without Haku noticing, but he was holding it too tightly. As a last resort, I pulled up his fingers gently one by one till they released my hand.

I followed Miko out to the bridge in front of the bathhouse and leaned on the railing. I stood there, cocking my eyebrow and waiting for her to talk. "Did you sleep well, Chihiro?" she asked quietly, though not facing me. I was puzzled; I was sure she did not call me out here just to ask me that. "Miko, get straight to the point, please." I couldn't help but feel hostility towards her. A smirk played on her lips. "You heard our conversation last night." It wasn't a question. I remained silent, so she continued. "You know that Haku will choose death if he has to choose."

"So you want me to break up with him today?"

She turned to look at me with relief that I could understand. It would be better for me to leave him rather than for him to have to die. "I always knew you would understand, Chihiro. Thank you," she breathed happily. She walked over to embrace me. I awkwardly patted her back in a motion for her to let go. I still wasn't comfortable with her for some weird reason. There was just something off about her…

"Wait. What about Haku? He's not going to let me go if I tell him that before I leave today…"

"It's simple, actually. We just have to get the 3 Great Spirits to be there to restrain Haku, since they're the only ones who have the power to restrain him. They'll also ensure he doesn't chase you to the human world," she answered confidently. I almost sneered at her in disgust. I just wanted to wipe that smug look off of her face. I hated imagining any other person mating with Haku, even though I knew that it would be impossible between the both of us. This would be the only way for him to live…

* * *

I closed my eyes trying to capture the feeling of the wind and exhilaration of flying with Haku. I ran my fingers through his fur and scales, wanting to take every detail of him with me when I left. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Haku for the last time before I left him. He had suggested bringing me to one of his "secret hideouts", which was apparently a meadow in the valley. "Stop sleeping, Chihiro," Haku chuckled. My eyelids flew open and I realized Haku was carrying me. "You really like carrying me like that, huh?" I teased. He gave me a _maybe, maybe not_ smile in response. He set me down and I surveyed our surroundings with anticipation.

A huge diversity of flowers sprouted everywhere, ranging in sizes, shapes and color. I inhaled deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of flowers. The flowers moved gracefully with the gentle breeze. Everything seemed so perfect. If only I had my camera with me… To my right, in the distance, there was a river. Its crystal clear waters sparkled magnificently under the warm gaze of the sun. The river was very long, and there were some pebbles and stones could be stepped on to get across. Getting all hyped up, I dragged Haku by the hand to the river. I removed my shoes, not wanting them to get wet. Haku went ahead first, and he held out his hand to me to guide me slowly. The stones were wet and slippery, but they felt cooling under my feet. While we were walking halfway though, I slipped and grabbed Haku plunging into the shallow waters. A laughing fit hit me hard when I saw Haku dripping wet. It wasn't often I managed to see him like that.

He faked a scowl at me and began splashing water at me. I sputtered and groaned when the water hit me square in the face which made Haku double over with laughter. Refusing to yield to him, I splashed more water on him and while he was still wiping the water from his face, I tackled him which made both of us fall into the river.

After watching Haku perform some cool tricks with the water such as making animal figures out of floating water, we walked back and lay sprawled out in the middle of the meadow. The warmth of the sun and the gentle breeze almost lulled me to a comfortable sleep. Everything here had taken away my worries and I could see that was the same for Haku. All that we had left on our faces were satisfied smiles and grins. Haku muttered some words to a spell to remove the water from our clothes and hair. "Thanks," I smiled. As he lay comfortably on his back with eyes closed, enjoying the weather, I lay on my side, staring at him. I smiled sadly, knowing this would be the last time I saw that beautiful face of his. I reached for my sparkly purple hair tie and untied my ponytail. Holding it tightly in my hand, I remembered Zeniba's words then.

A wave of sadness came over me, but I quickly shrugged it off. Now wasn't the time to be sad; I had to be happy, at least during my last moments with Haku. "What's wrong?" I looked up to see Haku on his side, cocking his eyebrow at me. I smiled and shrugged. "Nothing," I replied, closing my eyes and turning to lie on my back. The sound of the rustling grass indicated Haku inching towards me. I opened one eye, giving him a _who-are-you_ look playfully. He widened his eyes in mock horror which made both of us smile. He then swiftly leaned over and planted a kiss on my cheek. I felt a blush coming on and a smirk played on his lips. Then, I took advantage of the moment and pressed my lips to his gently. That would be our last kiss...

* * *

"It's about time for you to head back, Chihiro," Haku spoke up while we were walking through the meadow looking at the flowers. I flinched slightly, pretending not to hear him. Haku noticed this and decided to play along for a while more. He stopped suddenly and squatted down. I stopped as well, waiting to see what he was doing. He got up with something in his hand. "Hold out your hand," he ordered. I held out my hand and he placed a 4 leaf clover on my palm.

"It'll be your lucky charm, protecting you all the time when I'm not with you," he said. I knew the hidden meaning behind his words, which made my heart twist in pain. I shook the thought of staying with him away. I refused to let my selfishness cost him his life. Instead, I simply hugged Haku, inhaling his scent for the last time. "Come on, it's late, time for you to go home." He opened a portal in front of us and I stepped forward. Just before stepping in, I clutched the 4 leaf clover tightly. "Haku, thanks for being with me all this time. Thanks for being there for me, and for protecting me." He gave me a puzzled look. "Chihiro, you sound like this is the last time you're gonna see me. Cheer up, I'll meet up with you another time," he held me by the shoulders, hugging me. Even he didn't sound convinced about that…

It was the tears flowing down my cheeks and silence that made him understand with painful realization. I removed his hands from my shoulder, but he took me by surprise when he painfully gripped my hands, refusing to let me go. "Haku… please… let me go..!" I pleaded tearfully. "…Why..?" he growled. The murderous tone in his voice and the look in his eyes were out to kill. I tried struggling out of his grasp, but he was far too strong. "Why?!" he repeated more agitatedly. "Because, if I stay, you'll die!" I cried out, using all my strength in an attempt to get him away. Taking advantage of his momentary shock, I mustered all my strength to get away from him.

Just one inch away from the portal though, I was caught from behind by Haku's muscular arms. His arms were wrapped around my waist tightly. "Don't leave me, Chihiro. You know I can't live without you, and you can't live without me either." I knew it as well as he did. I knew I wouldn't get over him; I was already at wit's end waiting for him for 7 years, what more a lifetime? But, I knew I couldn't stay. I started hitting his arms, trying to wrench myself out of his grasp. "Miko told you..?" he asked menacingly. I flinched and paused. "…No… I… I overheard your conversation the other night when I woke up…"

"How much did you hear?"

"I heard enough, Haku. Let go of me this instant!" I exclaimed, kicking my legs non-stop like a spoiled baby. "I won't ever let you go. If you go, I'll kill myself," he snarled, but I could still sense the pain inside of him. Immediately, I froze. If I left and he killed himself, then what I was doing would be fruitless. Haku closed the portal and hugged me in relief. "Haku… You don't know what you're doing," I muttered listlessly. "Yes, I do. Even if I'll die, I don't care because I'd still be with you," he replied.

As if on cue, Miko and the 3 Great Spirits arrived. They stood in front of us while Miko changed into her human form. Haku's grip on me tightened instantly; he was afraid of losing me. I winced slightly in pain, but he didn't seem to notice. The golden dragon was the first to talk. "Kohaku River, you know full well the consequences of your actions. Release her at once." Haku hesitated for a moment before finally releasing me slowly, fists clenched tightly. Miko nodded at me and I looked away. The golden dragon re-opened the portal for me and motioned for me to go. "We greatly appreciate your co-operation with us. Thank you, Ogino Chihiro."

I turned back to look at a devastated Haku, his eyes pleading me not to go, though even he knew it was impossible. "Can I say something to him for the last time?" I asked the golden dragon quietly. His expression softened, and I took that as a yes. "Haku, carry on living well. If not for you, then for me. Like you said, if you die, then I can't live either. Carry on living for both of us and mate with Miko. I love you, Kohaku River. Thanks for everything." The tears spilled out freely now, and taking one last look at him, I stepped into the portal.

"Chihiro..? What's wrong? Why are you crying?" The sound of Sakura's voice surprised me a little, and I looked around to see that I was in the safety of Sakura's room. She was standing beside me with a bunch of tissues in hand. She sat me down on the bed and handed them to me. She remained silent while I sobbed into her shoulder.

* * *

"Feeling better?" Sakura queried. I had been crying for the past 45 minutes and I was finally feeling slightly better. I sniffled softly and nodded at Sakura who patted my head comfortingly. "There there, I'm known for my magical shoulders after all," she said smugly, making the corners of my lips twitch. "It's almost 8pm, so wanna get some dinner?" I shook my head in response. "Go eat, Sakura, I'm fine now, really," I nudged her towards the door, smiling a little for her. Finally subduing to her hungry stomach, she went out, leaving me in the room alone. I lay on the bed, exhaustion taking over completely. I opened my palm, revealing the 4-leaf clover that Haku had given me. I stuffed it into my pocket before getting up and walking over to the full-length mirror in front of Sakura's closet. My hair was in a horrible, ruffled mess, I had not changed my clothes for days and I had yet to take a bath. My eyes were red and puffy from all the crying and I decided against going home for the night. I grabbed my toiletries and headed to the toilet to do some cleaning up, hoping to get my mind off things for as long as possible.

That night, seeing my somber mood, Sakura didn't ask me anything about what had happened. Instead, we watched a movie out in the living room, equipped with ice cream and other snacks that I could binge on. Eating never failed to help remove some of my stress when I was feeling troubled. Sakura's parents remained in their room, leaving us to be alone while her elder brother was staying over at his friend's place. Her parents helped to inform my parents that I would be staying over for one more night before going home the next day. I stared blankly ahead while taking in huge chunks of ice cream, not focusing in the slightest bit on the movie. I hadn't realized the movie had ended until I didn't have any more ice cream and Sakura patted me on the shoulder to go to bed.

I lay next to Sakura on her king-sized bed. She had drifted off to sleep easily, while I, on the other hand, lay wide awake on the bed. Lying on my back, I stared up at the ceiling, my mind completely blank. I probably remained in that position for another couple of hours before the exhaustion completely took over me.

I woke up to Sakura's finger on my cheek. I stared at her and cocked my eyebrow. She raised her wet finger to show me, cocking her eyebrow in silent rebuttal. Surprised, I wiped my cheek to find some stray tears there. I shrugged, not wanting to say anything. I was thankful to have Sakura as my best friend; she never pried too deeply when she knew I wasn't ready. I mouthed my thanks to her before I went off to brush my teeth.

* * *

That night, as Dad drove me home, I stared out the window listlessly. Dad had noticed my bad mood and was wise enough to not ask anything. He tried rambling on about some other random things and I simply nodded occasionally, though it was easy to tell I was not listening in the slightest. In the end he ran out of topics so I turned up the radio to drown out the silence. I tried to focus on the music instead of letting my mind wander; I knew where that would lead me.

The minute I entered my room, I locked the door, dumped my bags onto the floor and flung myself onto the bed. Once I was under the safety of my covers, I lay still there. Apparently I had run out of tears, or lacked the energy to cry anymore. I grabbed my phone and started playing some music, making sure to turn it up to its full volume. I hated the silence that surrounded me. It made me feel… lonely…

* * *

A/N: Hi guys sorry for the lousy chapter :\ I was only able to come up with this given my bad writing and I know the back part was kind of… well… so I apologize eheh there's more to come in the next chapter though :D That's it from me and yeah thanks for reading this! God bless you guys! (: *hearts*


	12. Betrayal

Spirited Away: Betrayal

3 years have passed since I left the spirit world and Haku. Permanently. Well, accurately speaking, it's only been 3 months, but even 1 day feels like a year to me. I wonder how he's doing over there? Was he doing fine? Had he gotten over me yet? A part of me wanted him to just forget me, but another part of me wouldn't allow it. I had tried forgetting, tried giving up, but nothing worked. His eyes, his face, that dragon, everything was long imprinted on my heart already. The thought of him and Miko mating simply irked me. Something about that girl was not right, but then again, I was biased against her. Ahh… I wonder how he is now…

[Haku's P.O.V]

3 months. 3 whole months, without a single word from her. I hadn't heard from her for so long, and she expected me to try living without her. Even suicide wouldn't work. Miko was getting on my nerves more and more each day. Pestering me to mate with her despite my numerous rejections already. Something about Miko had changed. I still loved her, but not in that way anymore. Miko deserved someone better than me…

"Kohaku? What are you thinking about..?" I looked away. Speak of the devil. Miko shot me a concerned glance before setting tea on the table. "Look, Kohaku. I know you don't want to mate with me, but it's-"

"Miko, I've told you many times. I won't mate with you," I cut her off. Her eyes darkened significantly for a moment before collecting herself again. I stood up to leave, not wanting to hear any more from her. "Kohaku! Wait, don't leave!" I ignored her, and slid the door open.

"Miko is dead." I froze, my foot barely touching the floor outside. I turned around and looked at her. What did she mean..? "Miko is dead," she repeated, her sad blue eyes never leaving me as I walked towards her. I grabbed her by the shoulders abruptly, making her wince. "What do you mean?!" I demanded fiercely. She seemed to be happy with my reaction, but her smile was sad at the same time. "Miko… she died trying to look for you… Ouch! Let go of me first!" she complained, and I took my hands away from her, trying my best to calm down. "Thank you," she started again, "Miko was too weak. She never told you her age, did she?"

I shook my head. Every time I asked her, she always managed to change the topic. "Miko was at her 2000-year-old limit when you suddenly left. You failed to mate with her, so she eventually died," she finished. My nails were now digging into my skin, and devastation was starting to clamp down hard. Miko died because of me… I had failed her before, and now… "Wait. Then who are you?" I asked.

"I'm Miko's clone," she replied. My eyes widened in shock. I almost laughed. Miko made a clone?! What the hell was going on here?! "She created me and deposited her memories and powers into me, and hence I returned with the intention of fulfilling her last wish: To save you. She wanted me to mate with you as well, but I guess her feelings for you were only one-sided. You're a scumbag who betrayed Miko! She gave you everything, and now, you're…" Miko's clone started crying. By then, my nails were covered in blood. I felt like screaming. Miko was dead. And nothing I could do would ever bring her back. I had failed her, but would an apology be enough?

"…I'll… I'll mate with you…" I muttered painfully. _Sorry… Chihiro… _

[Chihiro's P.O.V]

Trudging home after school, it seemed like a routine already. Sakura described me to be the 'living dead', and I think she's right. I'm basically dead now, knowing that Haku will never be in my life again. The only thing that was keeping me sane was Haku's gift to me. I gripped the necklace on my neck. I had pressed the clover that Haku had given me and turned it into a necklace so I can wear it around my neck all the time. I sighed and continued walking. Back in my room, I drowned out the silence in the room by turning the radio on at full volume. I turned to the towering stack of homework on my desk and groaned internally before getting to work. I hummed along to the music and tapped my pen along with the beat.

After approximately 1 hour doing my work, a sudden gust of wind blew the papers on my desk away. "Oh man, where did that wind come from?" I complained as I squatted down to collect the papers in a neat stack again. Standing up, I accidentally hit the edge of the table. "Ouch!"

"Careful, there, Chihiro." I spun around to see Miko. She had a radiant smile on and she seemed to be glowing, if that was remotely possible. I placed the papers on the table and placed a paper weight above them and turned off the radio while Miko took a seat on my bed. She really did make herself at home, huh. "So… what brings you here, Miko-san?" I plastered on a smile, not wanting to be rude. "Would you like a drink?" I offered. "No thanks, Chihiro. I came regarding Kohaku," she replied courteously. Almost automatically I covered my ears, not wanting to listen further, but she put my hands down. Wow, she's strong. But her hands seem too abnormally hard… I snapped out of my thoughts quickly at the sound of her clearing her throat. "I want you to come back with me, Chihiro."

"What?!" I mentally slapped myself for shouting. I smiled ruefully at her before continuing. "Look, it's not that I don't want to… okay, I don't want to. I'm not interested in going back again. I'm already trying my hardest to forget him, so please don't make this any harder for me, okay?" I pleaded. However, she seemed adamant about bringing me along. "Kohaku's in very bad shape now. I can barely stop him from killing himself now, and I really need your help to convince him, Chihiro. He still refuses to mate! Even if it isn't with me, he doesn't want to mate at all! At this rate, you know how he'll end up," Miko cried. Yeah, I knew how he would end up. Dead.

I didn't want to go back, but Haku sounded like he was in a horrible state now, and I most definitely didn't want him dead! Man, that guy's stubborn… why can't he just give up..? My heart ached for a moment, and I agreed to follow Miko back. "Thanks, Chihiro! You're the best!" She gave me a brief hug before pulling me into a portal, which sent my papers flying again. Oh brother…

Thick fog surrounded me in an instant and I looked around to see a familiar place. The only place in the spirit world where the sky and ground could be a weird color with matching plants around everywhere. The Stollac Forest. Huh..? "Hey, Miko..? Why are we in the Stollac Forest?" I asked, but to my surprise, Miko was nowhere to be found. Just when I was about to call her name again, something struck the back of my head and the last thing I saw was darkness everywhere.

[Haku's P.O.V]

I cursed all the profanities in my head that I could think of as I soared through the air towards that accursed place. The Stollac Forest. I shook off any fear that I had of that place, although I couldn't stop the bad feeling that was rising up in my gut. The sickening thick fog finally came into view and I was in the Stollac Forest in no time. The last memory I had over here was with Chihiro, but I quickly shoved it out of my mind. Now wasn't the time to think about her. Where exactly was Miko? I searched around with my heightened senses and soon enough, the metallic smell of blood reached my nose. I quickly dove down to see who it was. If it was Miko, I'd be damned forever.

I stooped down to see someone lying unconscious there, and the instant I landed, I didn't even have to look to be able to sense who it was. _Chihiro..!_ I shouted her name in my mind and I went closer to her. I changed into my human form to check her. A pool of blood had formed around her head. Thankfully she was still breathing. How did she get here? I looked around warily, knowing the culprit could still be nearby. Out of the blue, my eyes landed on a note that was floating down towards me. I caught it and quickly scanned through it.

_Behind you. _I knew it was stupid to even look behind, but even so, I was caught by surprise when the next thing I felt was a sharp pain on my head and I groaned as I fell on the dirt, quickly seeping into darkness as I took one last look at Chihiro.

* * *

[Chihiro's P.O.V]

I woke up with a throbbing head. I winced as I tried to get up, my vision still a little blurry. I sat up which made the world whirl around me. Looking around, I realized I was in the Stollac Forest which brought me to my first question: Why was I here? I inclined my head slightly to see a guy lying just beside me, completely unconscious, which brought me to my next question: What was Haku doing here?!

I tried shaking Haku to get him to wake up, only to find that my hands and legs were all bind together. Just great. I spotted a relatively sharp rock nearby and started crawling my way over, worm-style. Thank goodness Haku was still unconscious, so he couldn't see me in my pathetic state. I ignored the pain in my head and started to cut the ropes with the help of the rock. Just some heroic music in the background to go and I would be free as a bird… or not. I accidentally made a deep cut on my wrist and I hissed in pain, feeling the blood gush out quickly. How nostalgic. If the ropes were enchanted, then it would be completely the same as before.

"Don't bother with that. The ropes are magic, so you can't cut them." I snorted, but my smirk quickly faded when I realized that it was Miko speaking. The sound of leaves and snapped branches filled my ears as Miko stepped into my line of vision. "What do you want, Miko?" I asked as my pulse accelerated looking into her cold stare. She smirked and looked towards Haku who was stirring. "Haku!" I quickly squirmed my way over to him on my belly, trying to use my head to nudge his shoulder, though it made my head throb again. His eyes fluttered open and he took one look at me, then wincing and inclining his head to look at Miko. His jade eyes darkened considerably.

"Why, Miko?" he spat out. Miko smiled but her eyes narrowed threateningly at him. "Kohaku… I almost laughed at your pathetic sight when I told you about me. How nice to know that you actually still care about me… But now, I have no intention of mating with you anymore… I think… killing you would be a better choice, don't you think? What would you think about dying with that precious girl of yours, hmm? Betraying me and wanting to repay your debt with a mere apology?" she practically shouted. I gulped at her cold words, now worried about our predicament. Haku slowly stood up, his hands and legs surprisingly untied. "You're wrong. I do care about Miko, but don't you dare ever think for one second that you are her. You're just her clone. The Miko I knew wouldn't ever do such a thing, and I know an apology can never be enough, but Miko is and will always be in my heart. I never betrayed her, and dying? Sorry, but that won't happen. Not on my watch," he replied.

Haku then muttered a few words before the ropes that tied me up loosened and I quickly removed them after recovering from the shock about Miko being a clone. Miko was shaking and I could practically feel the anger radiating off of her. She screamed and changed into a dragon, Haku following suit. He glanced at me and I already knew what he meant. _Hide somewhere for now. _I scrambled off my feet and ran off into the bushes, making sure Miko didn't see me. Both dragons flew up into the air and started their battle. Huge gusts of wind threatened to blow me away, but I held on to nearby rocks to anchor my body. Miko was getting hit and slashed at by winds and the blood gushed out from her body.

But she definitely wasn't going down without a fight. She lashed out at Haku and started biting him, tearing off his skin. He continued with the wind slashing, but he was howling in pain. Their battle was so intense and long and I never took my eyes off of them, getting more and more restless by the second. Seeing Haku in pain and not being able to help in the slightest threatened to start the waterworks in my eyes, but I forced them back, refusing to appear weak now. I wanted to do something for him, but what?! Miko had returned to her human form, obviously defeated, but Haku was now falling weakly, flying up a little to slow himself down. I ran out to try catching Miko. Curse me and my soft-heartedness. Just as I caught her, I was surprised at how light she was. She was unconscious, and blood stained her clothes. I set her down carefully, trying to check if she was still bleeding.

"Miko! Wake up, come on!" I shouted in an attempt to wake her up.

A sudden pain filled my stomach and I froze in shock. I looked down to see a knife sticking out of my stomach, the blood flowing out steadily. Miko smirked before she went unconscious, fading and dissipating into the air. I looked up and saw Haku's eyes flashing with pain and anger. The pain was growing and I fell on my side, feeling light-headed. I felt something carrying me and realized it was him.

"Oh no, you don't, Chihiro. Come on, stay with me," he pleaded, his eyes filled with pure horror. I smiled weakly at him, but felt my eyelids droop.

"Don't you dare go out on me, Chihiro! Stay awake!" he commanded.

"I'm… sleepy… Haku…" I whispered weakly.

"Shit! Chihiro, hang on," he urged.

The last thing I saw was a dragon with blood that stained its silvery scales and sea green fur, its pleading eyes directed at me, before everything got sucked into a black hole, including me.

* * *

A/N: Ahh… sorry about the first part eheh I know it was really… mushy and yeah I couldn't stand it either haha (: So, how was the chapter? Sorry I know the chapter was really suckish, but I didn't really know what else to do :\ I don't think the Miko twist made a big deal but hehe it was fun :D I spent the entire afternoon on it and yeah I was dying on this. Hopefully this makes up for the previous chapter? :D Thanks for all your reviews so far and I really appreciate all the support for this story! ^^ God bless you and I love you guys! 3


	13. The Dragon's Mate

Spirited Away: The Dragon's Mate

A/N: Here's a dialogue to kick-start the chapter! (If you read my other story then you'd probably have seen this before.)

Haku: Pick a card.

Chihiro: *takes one*

Haku: You got the ace of hearts, right?

Chihiro: Wow, how did you know?

Haku: What can I say? You've stolen one of my most valued possessions: My heart.

* * *

[Haku's P.O.V]

"Damn it! Chihiro, stop sleeping!" I cursed continuously and picked her up before dashing off towards the Guertu Waterfall. Avoiding the hanging vines and low protruding roots on the densely covered ground was easy even at maximum speed, but Chihiro looked like she could not hang on much longer. Her lips were getting paler by the second, her face completely draining of its color. The blood continued to seep out relentlessly of her wound, the accursed weapon still stuck there. Removing the weapon was out of the question; it would only increase the blood loss.

"We're almost there, Chihiro. Just hang on a little longer. Stay with me…" I whispered pleadingly to her, hoping that somewhere, somehow, she could hear me. As soon as I entered the cave, voices of doubt surrounded me. I bit down hard on my tongue trying to ignore them. "She's dead… You're too late…" one said. "It's all over. You failed the girl you wanted to protect most, Haku…" said another. Fighting back the disappointment and defeat which was starting to take root, I focused on the light at the end of the cave. It gradually became bigger and bigger and soon, light exploded in my vision, making me cringe momentarily before hurrying towards the Guertu Waterfall.

"Guertu Spirit, please..!" I yelled, carefully and slowly lowering Chihiro's limp body into the healing waters. The red liquid mixed together with the clear, crystal waters, but it was not dissolving like it should. Just then, the face of the Guertu Spirit appeared. "Why isn't it dissolving?!" I shrieked, not caring how rude or uncivil I sounded. His sad face only made me more determined to rebuke him. "Do something! Hurry, before it's too late!" I yelled again, cradling the fragile body of the unconscious girl beside me. She was cold. Too cold.

"It's too late… Haku…" he muttered, the depression and sadness in his tone agitating me further. "Damn it, it's not too late! You're the Guertu Spirit! You're the only one who can help her!"

"I'm sorry… My waters alone cannot revive this human girl."

_Alone. _That means… "What else does she need?!" A brand new surge of hope sprang up in me, and I held Chihiro closer to my chest. "Don't worry… you'll be alright…" I cooed in her ear.

"She'll need half of your life essence, Haku," the Guertu spirit stated, "but you know what it means to take half of an unmated dragon's life essence away, don't you, Haku?" I looked away, trying to digest the information. I did not need any time to consider, however. Chihiro's well-being came before mine. And I had already been prepared to die from the start. "I'll need your help, Guertu spirit." I carefully lay Chihiro's body by the edge of the pool before stalking off in wet clothes a short distance away opposite her.

Meditation had always brought a sense of peace and relaxation into my being and soon enough, a bubble of water encased me. I closed my eyes and calmed my nerves, inhaling and exhaling deeply. The water of the waterfall combined with my being to become one. Sucking in a deep breath, I concentrated and focused, finding my life essence in the inner soul. _Just like you learnt, Haku… _

Once stabilized, I summoned up the rest of my strength and released the life essence needed for Chihiro to live. As my strength began to fade away, memories of moments between us flashed into my mind. A tear slid down my cheek, but dying like this was worth the while. I smiled as my eyelids slowly opened, seeing the red substance that finally dissolved into the clear waters and the knife dissipating into the air. As long as Chihiro was fine… …

* * *

[Chihiro's P.O.V]

I thought I was dead. No, I was sure I was dead, but miraculously, I regained consciousness after a long, long time to find myself lying in the healing waters of the Guertu Waterfall. I felt my stomach. No knife, no pain, no wound. The face of the Guertu spirit was there, relief flooding his face as he saw me come out of my coma. But, as soon as it had appeared, it was replaced by one of sadness as his eyes darted to another person in front of me. My eyes followed his and Haku lay in the pool, unconscious.

I sprang to my feet and sloshed my way through the waters towards him. "Haku! Haku!" I called, cradling his head in my arms and shaking him slightly. His lips were almost white, his face was ghastly pale and anyone could tell he was having difficulty breathing. "Hey… Chihiro… You're alright…" His eyes fluttered open at the sound of my voice and gingerly lifted his hand to wipe some tears off of my face. I caught his hand and pressed it against my cheek. "You're so cold… What's wrong, Haku?"

The Guertu spirit answered on his behalf. "Haku gave you half of his life essence so that you could live, Chihiro. But that means death for an unmated dragon."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to take in that mega-sized chunk of information. The grief and shock must have shown, because Haku stroked my cheek in assurance. "Sorry, Haku… This is all my fault," I wailed, drops of tears landing on his nose and forehead. His brows creased. "No, love. It's not, listen to me-"

"If I weren't so useless, then you wouldn't be dying now, Haku! I've been nothing but trouble and a burden to you this whole time, I'm sorry…" I cut him off, whimpering. Suddenly, a hand was brought to my chin, forcing me to look into the hard eyes of the boy in my arms. "If it weren't for you, I'd be dead by now. Remember? You saved me the last time we were in the Stollac Forest. And, don't you ever forget that you gave me back my name, Chihiro. Don't you ever forget that," he chided sternly.

More tears blurred my vision. "I love you, Chihiro." Those words were enough. I hugged him close to my chest. "I love you too, Haku…" Haku's strength was fading away by the second, I could feel it.

"Guertu spirit! Please, is there any way to save him?" I cried, grabbing the full attention of the spirit at once. He mulled over this for a moment. "The dragon has to find a mate. And at once, at that." I already knew what he was implying. "I'll mate with Haku, then," I replied confidently.

"What are you saying?!" Haku hissed. "If you mate with me, you'll have to die!" His agitation caused a minor coughing fit to start up. "Nothing else matters than you being alright, Haku," I whispered gently into his ear, pressing my lips onto his cheek where his tears had spilled. "Protecting you was what I'd worked so hard for…"

"And you did, Haku. You did protect me. So now it's my turn to protect you," I smiled.

"But you'll die, Chihiro."

"Ahh, but you omitted the fact that she becomes a spirit, Kohaku," the Guertu Spirit added cheekily. "Then, that solves it! Spirits can live in the human world normally, can't they? There's not much of a change whatsoever," I tried in my best convincing voice. Haku pondered and pondered, seemingly taking too long, before finally closing his eyes in defeat.

"The 3 Great Spirits can't oppose, can they? The life of an oh-so-important dragon is at stake here," I added gleefully, my spirits completely contrasting with the original atmosphere from before.

"I offer my blessings to you two; I can see the sincerity in your words, youthful ones. Your true love has touched my heart deeply. Come now, make haste, the Kohaku River cannot hang in there much longer," the Guertu spirit smiled before his face vanished and the water taking back its original form. Haku looked up at me, smiling. "Take my hand, and close your eyes, Chihiro," he said.

Before I did, I just had to get this burning question out. "Uhh… Haku… Mating does not necessarily equate to uh… _that_ right? Right?" At first his face was blank, then it changed to one of shock and finally to one of amusement. "Nothing of the sort, Chihiro. Don't worry, come, close your eyes," he said again. This time, I obeyed immediately, bracing myself for the blissfully life-changing moment that was to come.

* * *

[A few years later…]

"Well, my little baby girl's all grown and prettied up. I'll miss you, Chihiro," Akio commented sadly as he cradled his daughter in his arms. I smiled and wiped our tears away. "What do you mean you'll miss me? You think getting rid of me will be that easy? I'll be pestering you for life, daddy," I giggled in my nervousness. We were now standing in front of the 2 sliding doors to the grandly decorated hall. I took one last glance at myself through the reflection of the sliding doors.

My white strapless dress sparkled with the shining lights on them. My train was being carried by my bridesmaid, who was none other than Sakura. She beamed at me, contented with the work of art she'd completed on my now dolled up face. I pulled my veil over my head and nodded to my dad as a sign that I was ready. The sweet melodic sounds of the piano travelled through the doors, cuing us into the hall. The doors opened and I inhaled deeply, grabbing onto Dad's arm and the bouquet in my other hand tightly, the nervousness and pressure getting to me. As we started walking, the joyful and proud eyes of our standing guests welcomed us. I caught the eye of some spirit friends like Lin who grinned broadly at me, tearing up in the process. My eyes darted about nervously, but once they landed on the man standing at the end of the aisle, my nerves miraculously went away. Because all that filled my mind was the man of my dreams, waiting for me at the other end of the hall. His eyes met mine and his grin as he gazed lovingly at me spread and soon I found myself smiling bashfully as well.

"I, Kohaku, take you, Chihiro, to be my wife, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

Now it was my turn. _Breathe, Chihiro. You got this._ "I, Chihiro, take you, Kohaku, to be my husband, my partner in life and my one true love. I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before. I will trust you and respect you, laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully through good times and bad, regardless of the obstacles we may face together. I give you my hand, my heart, and my love, from this day forward for as long as we both shall live."

The exchanging of rings. Perfect. I looked at our wedding rings and caught Haku's eyes and smiled back at him, conscious of the heat that was starting on my cheeks.

"You may now kiss the bride," announced the priest. I thought I could hear the guests holding their breaths, waiting to see us kiss. I blushed at the thought while Haku removed my veil. "You look stunning, love," he whispered, sending tingles down my spine. He leaned in and I closed my eyes just as our lips touched, and at the same time, the crowd roared. The most prominent voices belonging to Sakura and Lin. The two of them had gotten along easily. I smiled and tried to pull away, but Haku was stubborn and held on to me, deepening the kiss, making me giddy with happiness.

Haku and I were married. And now for the cliché phrase.

And they lived happily, ever after.

How true that was indeed, when Haku pulled me into another passionate kiss.

* * *

A/N: THE END! Thanks for all the support you guys have given me throughout this story, from the favourites to follows to the reviews! I love you guys, and I mean it. This story was not meant to be very long, so I'm sorry if I disappointed anyone. Thank you, thank you and thank you, again! I definitely wouldn't mind if you want to leave more reviews for this chapter by the way, haha. I'd appreciate it greatly.

*HUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGSHUGS * ^^

**Love you~ **

**~Heartz4jesus**

Chihiro: Hey! These cards are all the ace of hearts! Haku, you cheater!

* * *

**[SPOILER WARNING]**

P.S. Surprise coming your way this Christmas, so don't give up on me just yet! Well, not that it'd be a surprise anymore since I just said it. :D


	14. Merry Christmas Special!

Spirited Away: Christmas Special!

A/N: Hello guys! It's my favorite time of the year: Christmas! Yay firstly, merry Christmas to you guys and here's a Christmas special for this story! (: As a Christmas present..? I don't know but uhmm… hopefully you guys enjoy this? :D

It was fun writing this Christmas special and I sincerely wish you guys a merry Christmas! (: Right now in Singapore it's 12 midnight on 25th December ^^ HOHOHO~ HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! \(^o^)/ AND GOD BLESS YOU GUYS~

This is a very special Christmas dialogue for this merry special time of the year!

* * *

Haku: What are you doing to my face? The snow's really cold, Chihiro!

Chihiro: Just wait a little longer! Okay! It's done! *gives him a mirror*

Haku: …

Chihiro: You really do look like Santa Claus now. But something's missing… Where's my present? *beams*

* * *

I was greeted by the chilling winter cold and quickly dove back under my covers, returning to the warm, safe haven there. I rubbed my eyes and was about to go back to sleep when Haku just had to talk. "Hey, Chihiro, wake up," Haku's voice came. I pretended to be sleeping and ignored him. Sighing, he started shaking me to get me up which annoyed me. I flipped the covers off onto his face, making myself vulnerable to the winter breeze again, hence quickly grabbing the covers off of Haku and ducking under them again. "It's already noon, get up Chihiro." I shook my head stubbornly. "No way in hell am I getting up. It's too cold!" I whined. Apparently, that fell on deaf ears, because the next thing I knew, Haku was dragging me by the legs off the bed with my blanket still covering me. I landed with a thud on the floor, instantly feeling the freezing floor under my butt.

Frustrated, I took off my covers and started glaring at Haku, which only made him smirk. "You really should do something about your hair before you put on a scary face to try intimidating me." I inclined my head towards the mirror at the other end of the room to see a blank girl staring back at me, with tangled strands of chocolate brown hair sticking out, and soft brown curls fell down the sides of her face messily. Soon, her blank expression turned to one of embarrassment and her cheeks went pink. "Go wash up. You're the one who begged me last night to go Christmas shopping with you, remember?" He raised an eyebrow at me before closing the door behind him. I sat there blankly for a while before I slapped myself. Today was Christmas Eve! I groaned and scrambled to my feet to brush my screwed up hair, but not before wrapping my precious blanket around me. Ahh… the cold...

* * *

"Yay~ it's finally Christmas!" I said somewhat enthusiastically with a yawn as we strolled down the streets just across the road from a huge shopping mall, where people were busy doing their last-minute Christmas shopping. There were signboards everywhere indicating some Christmas offers and free Christmas gifts. Haku was walking beside me, looking a little annoyed since it was so crowded and he had been knocked into a couple of times already. I smirked at him and he soon caught me doing that, and responded by pulling the right side of my earmuff and slapping it against my head. I narrowed my eyes at him in annoyance, and he simply smirked right back. "So… how does the Spirit World actually celebrate Christmas?" I asked. "It's almost the same, actually. All the workers get the day off on Christmas day as a rule so that employers don't exploit their workers," he replied. Yubaba surfaced in my mind. "So what's different?" I quipped. A frown crossed his face as he searched for the right words. "Well… for starters… umm… we don't have Santa Claus or reindeers…"

"I see one already," I grinned and poked at his red nose.

He rolled his eyes and flicked mine before continuing. "And we don't go decking the halls-"

"It's Christmas caroling, smart guy," I mocked teasingly at his cute mistake. Again, it earned me a glare, which I returned with wide smirk. Then he basically raised his hand and wiped it across my face to wipe my smirk off, which succeeded, though I replaced it with a glare.

"Okay, Mr Grumpy, let's split up and we'll meet back at the fountain over there after 4 hours." I pointed to the fountain that had a huge Christmas tree just beside it, with the decorative lights twinkling in all their glory even in the daytime. Without waiting for his reply, I patted his back, before taking off, careful to avoid the incoming stampede of more people.

After I was a safe distance away from where we separated, I secretly took a notepad out of my coat pocket and looked through the list of people whose presents would be buying. I walked down the streets, checking for any suitable presents. I looked through the small shops and found a candy shop. And I knew who would absolutely love candy. I went in and looked around for sweets that were small enough for them as a Christmas treat, and I found my favorite brand of candy: Sticky! (A/N: If you don't know what Stickies are, they're really, really good and here's a link to see what they look like haha buy them! They're so good! . /) I decided on the rainbow rock flavor since I hadn't really tasted their star-shaped snacks before and it was a nice flavor.

After I looked walked around and didn't find anything interesting, I crossed the road towards the shopping mall. The place was even more crowded than before and traffic was basically really slow. I started getting worried about being able to buy everything in time. As I did some window shopping, something shiny in the store caught my eye. I stepped in and the pretty brooch came into view. I looked it over and found it quite matching for Yubaba's usual outfit. I didn't intend on buying another one for Zeniba though. I looked around the shop and found some knitting supplies and some yarn. I decided purple for the yarn, since Zeniba seemed to like that color.

Walking out of the store, I continued my shopping spree and quickly found other items: A bracelet and matching necklace for Lin, 2 hamster toys for Bo and his sister each, a pair of hooped earrings for Mom, some fishing rod for Dad which happened to cost me a lot, and a new kettle for Kamaji to replace his old one. My hands were full with shopping bags and I spotted a seating area nearby. I quickly sat down to rest for a bit. Approximately 3.5 hours had gone by; what should I get for Haku? I'd walked everywhere around the mall and just couldn't find something that could suit him…

As I sat down to think, Haku came by. "Time's almost up, darl', and I'm done with my shopping." I snapped my head up and my eyes met his deep green ones. Almost instantly, my pulse started to accelerate and I looked away, starting to panic at the same time. "You're not done yet?" he asked as he eyed the number of bags I was carrying. I stared back at his hands to see him carrying only 3 bags. "Well… I've already gone over everything in the mall…" I continued, and then suddenly it hit me. I sprang up and shouted "Eureka!" before running off, leaving Haku behind with all the bags, which made people's heads swivel in my direction with weird stares directed at me.

Man, Haku's going to be so stumped when he sees his present.

* * *

Haku and I went home, the whole time with me grinning silly to myself. "You've lost it," Haku muttered as we opened the door while I jumped up and down excitedly. I accidentally hit my head jumping, and I flushed in embarrassment while rubbing my poor head. I turned on my heel towards the study and closed the door behind me the minute I got in. I continued grinning and plopped myself on the chair and flung my head back, accidentally hitting my head on the wall. "Ouch!" I muttered, rubbing my head. I quickly took out the notebook I bought and started my work while humming to myself, imagining Haku's reaction when he got his present the next day.

* * *

I woke up with a small start and realized I was on the bed. I was confused; the last thing I remembered was doing up the presents… "OH CRAP!" I shouted, immediately regretting it when I realized Haku was still sleeping beside me and that I had just shouted into his ear. He woke up with a start and I quickly pushed him down, tossed the covers over his head before rushing back into the study. I quickly got to work to finish wrapping up the presents and preparing some others. By the time I had finished, I was already ready to go back to sleep when my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Chihiro, darling, can you open the door? We've been ringing the doorbell but no one's responding. It's already noon and you promised to help me and Zeniba with the food, especially the turkey, remember?" Mom asked. "Oh, right. I'm coming," I replied. As I stepped out, I locked the door before closing it behind me.

* * *

"Mmm… the turkey smells so good!" I commented, feeling my stomach about to whine soon. "Well, what can I say? My granddaughter takes after me! Great job, Chihiro darling!" Granny remarked happily. Her affectionate smile made me return it with a shy one. "Well, it's about time for them to be coming over for our Christmas dinner soon," Mom said while laying out the table. "There're others coming too? Who?" I asked. As if on cue, someone was knocking on the door. She was already shouting with excitement on the other end, it was easy to guess who it was. I carefully stayed on the other side of the door in case she swung the door too hard and hit me squarely on the nose. A cold gush of wind along with Lin's noise greeted me the instant the door was opened. "It's so cold out here! Man, let me in already. Oh hi Chihiro! Merry Christmas!" Lin yelled. I winced and rubbed my ears slowly. "Oww… Lin, I think you can be heard all the way at the other end of the Spirit World," I complained. She hugged me tightly and I hugged her back. I missed her so much.

"Well, if it isn't my granddaughter." I lightened up at the sound of his voice. "Kamaji! I've missed you!" I proceeded to skip over to him and hugged him. "Wow I've never been so close to you before since you're always so busy when I see you at the bathhouse," I commented excitedly. He chuckled and ruffled my hair before stepping into the house with Lin to avoid the winter cold. A hamster and a small bird lifting it came into the house next. "Bo! You made it after all!" I lifted my finger to stroke him gently in which he squeaked in happiness. Apparently no one else was outside. So Yubaba didn't come… but I couldn't say I was exactly sad that she didn't come.

Soon, we were all settled at the table, digging in to the sumptuous dinner that had been prepared for all of us. It was a very lighthearted dinner, and we were still talking in our seats even after we were long finished with the food. While Mom and Zeniba put away the dishes, the rest of us started exchanging Christmas presents. I always hit the ceiling from jumping in anticipation. I started for my room to get the presents out, but when I tried the door, it wouldn't budge. What..? Oh, right. I hit my forehead hard. How stupid could I get? I didn't want people going into the study, but locking the door from the inside was plain stupid. I groaned and asked Haku for the spare keys.

* * *

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" I exclaimed, gleefully handing out the presents to Kamaji, Bo, Lin, Zeniba and my parents. "Wow thanks, Chihiro! This is beautiful!" Lin threw her arms at me, pulling me into yet another hug. Boy did she like hugs. "I'm glad you liked it," I smiled. She handed me my present, and I carefully undid the pretty wrapping. A beautiful necklace lay in the small gift box. "Thanks Lin, it's beautiful!" I grinned and hugged her. "No problem. I guess us sisters do think alike huh?" she grinned.

Kamaji got a nice surprise when he saw his new kettle and thanked me before handing me my present: A pretty floral pouch. "Thanks Kamaji!" I grinned and hugged him. He chuckled, glad that I liked it. I then handed him the candy for the soot balls with delight. Bo's present was very sweet. He gave me a Christmas card, in which he drew both of us playing happily together in the snow with a Christmas tree by our side and a small note. He also handed me Yubaba's Christmas present. That was unexpected; Yubaba didn't seem to like me very much. Oh well. She had given me a pretty purple hair clip, reminding me of the purple hair tie I received from Zeniba. "Here's your present and your Mom's too, Bo," I smiled as his face brightened up considerably seeing the cute toy I got him. "It's perfect, Chihiro! Thanks!"

Dad squeezed me so hard upon seeing his brand new fishing rod; I could have died then and there if it weren't for Mom. She was surprised seeing the hooped earrings I got for her, and she kissed me on the forehead, thanking me. Then, both of them proceeded to give me my present. "Go on, open it," she urged in anticipation. I undid the wrapping and found a musical box in it. I opened it and a pretty girl danced about in it. What caught my attention was the sweet melody that filled my ears. "It's your lullaby, recorded by both of us together," Mom beamed proudly. "Just… uh… excuse my vocals for a bit. I haven't been singing for a long while since my days in high school…" Dad remarked. I chuckled and pulled them both into a family hug. "Thanks Mom, thanks Dad!"

Handing Zeniba my handiwork, she examined it and a satisfied smile hung on her face. "Well, it seems all the practice my granddaughter did paid off." I smiled, receiving her present courteously. It was a hand-knitted coat, beautifully designed. "Granny, is this cashmere?!" I almost yelled in shock. She chuckled lightly. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

Saving the best for last, I cleared my throat behind Haku who was hiding in a corner after handing everyone their presents. "Go away, Lin, I'll do it later," he complained moodily. I snickered to myself and used my index fingers, trailing them down his back. He jumped, obviously startled and tickled. "Merry Christmas, dragon boy," I tried in my best 'Lin' voice. He held back a snort and laughed along with me. We handed each other's presents as if it were a business deal. "Open yours first," I insisted. I could not miss this moment. I watched his face intently as he opened the present. "Chihiro, stop constipating," he commented. I rolled my eyes and his expression was indescribable. It was a mix of shock and annoyance and happiness at the same time.

It took all the self-control I could muster to not burst out laughing. "Hah. Funny. Seriously, Chihiro?" He held out the book titled "Christmas Basics for Idiots" and I doubled over laughing. Everyone shot us weird glances and Lin jumped over to see what was happening. "You go girl!" she shouted, laughing with me.

* * *

[Haku's P.O.V]

It was late and it seemed as if I was the only one awake in the dead silence of the apartment. Everyone had left, even Lin, and it was a dramatic good-bye between her and Chihiro. I rolled my eyes thinking back on her teary yet threatening look at me, reminding me to bring Chihiro to the bathhouse to visit them soon. I looked over the present Chihiro had given me, rolling my eyes at the title. I opened the notebook, and a letter fell out. I picked it up, but small pictures on the top right-hand corner of the notebook caught my eye. A magnificent dragon was drawn there, and I checked the other pages to see other pictures as well. I flipped the pages, my eyes focused on the short animation of me transforming into a human with a Santa hat on and ending with a 'Merry Christmas' wish from a drawn-out Chihiro. Finding myself grinning and my heart beating with joy, I opened up the carefully sealed envelope to read the letter in it. The words were all written with extra caution and I could tell she had put in a lot of effort into it.

_Dear Haku,_

_Merry Christmas, my dear husband! This is our first Christmas together, and it's really special to me, learning more about you and spending time with you. I love you, Kohaku River. I'm no good with cards, so the end. Hehe, merry Christmas, my beloved dragon. _

_Best wishes,_

_Chihiro _

My heart did a huge somersault reading her letter. A wry smile appeared on my face. She always had this amazing way of making me feel this way. The tingle in my stomach and the heat that would always start surrounding me when she was close. I looked at the Christmas present I had no time to give to her. Sighing, I left my room and walked towards the living room. A sigh came from Chihiro who was standing by the window, arms crossed and looking out blankly.

* * *

[Chihiro's P.O.V]

I gazed out the window at the moon, sighing. Haku was probably asleep, but had he seen my present? Had he read the letter? Was it too mushy? Did he like the present? I massaged my temples to calm my nerves and took in deep, long breaths to steady myself. It was no use worrying about it now; I already gave it to him. Unless… I sneak into his room and remove the letter before he sees it! A brief smile hung on my face before it turned into a pout. Someone cleared his throat behind me and I jumped, taken by surprise. I whirled around to see Haku standing there, a paper bag in his hand. He looked at where I was staring and seemed as surprised as I was.

"Come here." He motioned me towards him with his hand. I walked over and watched as he inhaled deeply and took out a gift box from it. "I didn't have time to give it to you earlier on…" he said. "Merry Christmas, Chihiro."

I opened up the gift box carefully and peered into it. A cute stuffed teddy sat in it comfortably, its warm smile greeting me. In the middle of it, 'Perfect Loveliness' was sewn on with dark green thread, which reminded me of Haku's eyes. It wore a lovely Santa hat on its head completed with matching gloves.

"I didn't really know what to get for you, but when I saw this bear, you came to mind so…" Haku stammered nervously. I beamed and hugged it. "It's perfect, Haku," I smiled gleefully.

"Did you see my letter..?" I suddenly asked shyly, slowly becoming more and more self-conscious. He nodded and my eyes darted away. "You know, they haven't removed the mistletoe up there yet," he stated randomly, pointing to the ceiling. My eyes followed his finger to see the mistletoe still hanging from the ceiling daintily. Before I could ask about his random outburst, both his hands were on my cheeks and his face were now inches away from mine.

He slowly inched closer and closer, and I closed my eyes slowly. His lips made contact with mine and the gentle kiss was enough to make my insides flip multiple times. I put my hands around his back and he pulled us closer, deepening the kiss. When he finally broke away, my face was hot and completely flushed. He smiled, seeing my flustered self, though the unmistakable shade of pink tinted the tip of his ears.

The snow outside fell romantically as he chuckled and pulled me close again. My first Christmas together with my dragon.

* * *

A/N: Heehee yay this is it for the Christmas special! If you read my other story, The Lost Spirit, then feel free to read both. The special is about the same, but the setting and story background is different for the two stories, hence there are some changes to the story. It's like half minor, half majorly edited so yeah. Thanks for reading and this marks the end of this story! (:

I hope you enjoyed this Christmas special as much as I did (: Merry Christmas and most importantly, God bless you as you enjoy this special holiday with your family and friends!

P.S. On this special day I believe it's the season for blessing each other as well, so I want to appeal to you guys to keep the families of the victims of the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in your prayers. It really breaks one's heart to see the innocent lives of such bright, lovely young children gone so miserably, and the heartbreak of the families involved must be painfully unbearable. Please keep them in your prayers and God bless!

* * *

Haku: No presents for naughty children.

Chihiro: But I've been good this year… *pouts*

Haku: If you kiss me I'll reconsider.

Chihiro: Bad boys don't get kisses either.


End file.
